“Do you have any plan?” Seraphina asked.
“I have one in my mind. Before that, tell me about your role. Are you some sort of spokesperson for the system?”
“You can say that. The system is quite rigid and doesn’t really have a mind on its own. I am more flexible and can answer more of your questions. I can also give out suggestions or advice.”
“What are you specialized in?”
Seraphina smiled. “Before you, I have assisted dozens powerful necromancer and dark lords. I believe you will need my knowledge someday.”
Malachi’s perspectives of her changed. If she truly had assisted powerful necromancer before, then her knowledge could really help him in the future. It seemed like the dark god was fostering a lot of villains in many worlds.
‘Could I surpass a figure like that someday?’ Malachi shook his head. ‘Anything is possible. Even time could be reversed. I will reach the highest peak of power even if I have to build a mountain of corpses to do it.’
Malachi walked out of his room. He met some servants on his way, but they looked down and did not dare to look or interact with him. Everyone here knew how Aldric treated Malachi. Even though they all pitied him, they did not want to punished by him.
“It’s too bad. This house was his and he should be feeling free here, but instead, he’s caged and tortured here.”
“Shuush. Watch your mouth or you might get yourself killed.”
Malachi heard their whispers as he walked to the garden. There were guards there, but they didn’t greet or even look at him. They treated him as if he did not exist at all.
That worked to his favor as well. He kept walking around as if he was enjoying his time in the garden, but in actuality, he was thinking of a way to escape to this place. It had been more than hundreds of years since he saw his home, he only recall a glimpse of it, but looking at it now, he remembered a small detail.
The garden had some sort of hedge maze made of tall shrubs that were carefully pruned and shaped to create walls and pathways. Malachi and his mother used to play hide and seek here.
And one day, while he was hiding, he found a small gap that led outside.
“This is the gap,” Malachi said. “If I sneak out from here, I can get to a nearby forest.”
Seraphina tilted her head as she sat on his shoulder. “The poison in your body doesn’t seem to be a threat for now. Why are you such in a hurry to cure it? Isn’t it better if you secretly train to become stronger?”
Malachi smiled. Just as he was about to response however, he heard footsteps. Someone was coming.
It was a 7 year old girl with big expressive eyes that seem to hold a hint of sadness making the people around her look at her with pity.
She, however, did not deserve any pity.
She spat on Malachi’s face. “Filth, you shouldn’t stain the beauty of this garden with your presence. Even a fly is more appealing to my eyes. Now, kneel before me and apologize for your mistake.”
Malachi’s expression was cold as he looked at her, but his knees bent. “I apologize.”
Lily raised an eyebrow, quite surprised and amused at the action. “Hahaha, you used to fight back, but now you have known your place. Keep acting that way, filth.” She stomped on the back of his head before leaving.
When Malachi stood up, Seraphina looked at him and ask. “Why are you so easy to bully? Most of the lords I assisted before wouldn’t bend their knees without a fight. Their pride is too high for that.”
Malachi smiled. “If I fight back, she will throw herself to the ground, pretended to be hurt before crying to the guards and tell them that I hurt her. She will then cry to his father. The consequences of that is not worth it right now.”
“My pride can hold on, because I will kill her with the most pain imaginable.” Malachi’s deep eyes flickered for the first time.
Lily was Aldric’s father that he brought when he married Elena. It was one of the reason why Elene considered Aldric to be the perfect man. He was also a single parent like her, but who would have thought it would come this way.
“What about your plan? What are you going to do?”
Malachi looked at the small gap in the hedge. It was so small that no one would notice it if they didn’t take a careful look. “I never tell my mother this, but I usually go to the forest through that small gap. My mother would never let me go to the forest, but I was a stubborn child.” He let out a small laugh.
“As I walk by the forest, going deeper where a child shouldn’t, I found a strange book. When I opened it, I saw pictures of strange demonic creatures. Entities of nightmare with thorns on their tongue and horns on their forehead. My mother only tell stories of fairy tale. Tales of rainbows and unicorns. It was the first time I see something new, so I kept reading the book and it drew me in. That was when I first learned about necromancy. I didn’t learn the craft until my mother died and I was trying to find a way to escape.”
“So you are going to the forest to find that book?”
“Yes. I also want to kill small animals and collect their souls to cure this poison while I do that. Even though it’s not deathly right now, the poison make my body weaker as it piled up.”
“Are you going to sneak out now?” Seraphina asked.
“No. Not yet. Aldric will know that I escape from this house. He keeps a careful watch on me. I have to bid for my time,” He looked at the sky.
The sky was bright and clear on this evening. There weren’t much clouds covering the blue sky today.
Aldric stood by the window on the fourth floor of the mansion. He was watching Malachi walking around by the garden. Even though he was just a child, Malachi put a small torn in his heart that kept disturbing him. He felt uneasy at the thought of him still alive.
“How do I get rid of that child without looking so obvious? As long as he’s gone, all of Elena’s assets will rightfully be mine, and no one can say anything about it.”
Elena’s assets were too big. She was an extremely wealthy woman and her assets even went beyond this town. The amount of profit her business earns were astronomical and was the major reason why he could obtain his position of power right now.
“If that child grow older, he can take all of the assets from me. In fact, just by him existing I cannot utilize all of the assets to my liking.”
Because the owner of the assets were not proper yet, Aldric could not sell or auction anything major. This restricted his movement.
“Father!” Lily came in his office. “Father! I got great news!”
Aldric’s cold face turned to bright and cheerful. “What is it, darling?”
Lily giggled. “I met that whore-son earlier and I told him to be on his knees. He immediately obeyed me.”
“Oh, really?”
“Un, it seems like he’s scared of me now.”
“Of course, he wouldn’t dare to offend my sweet daughter.” Aldric pat Lily’s head before she ran around in his room with joy.
Though the news sounded insignificant, Aldric actually frowned as he looked at the garden through the window.
Malachi went through his days with the same routines. Waking up in the morning and forced to drink the poisoned tea after Aldric slap him in the face. He didn’t fight back and simply do as told.Whenever Lily came and told him to prostate on the ground, he would do so without a word which made her laugh. He did all this knowing that he would pay them back a thousand time one day.The sky was covered with gray clouds today, seemingly about to rain. Inside the Mansion of the second floor, all of the opened windows began to be closed by the maid. The wind blew quite hard.“It rarely rains in Trilea.” Aldric frowned as he walked through the hallway, gazing at the sky through the window. “Something doesn’t seems right. Especially that kid Malachi. He used to stare at me with anger and fight back but all of a sudden he turned soft and meek. I can’t let my guard down.”Aldric snapped his finger and a maid walked towards him before bowing. “You called, master?”“Check on that boy. Make sur
“I am thankful of this opportunity, father. But I will need a little time to prepare myself. After all, I might not see you and lily for a long time. I will also miss this house.”“That won’t be—““Actually, that’s a good idea,” Thaddeus said. “I am leaving in a few days. In the meantime, you should spend more time with your father. The academy is far from here, make sure you don’t have any regrets after you go.”Aldric couldn’t say anything else after that. He wanted Malachi to leave as soon as possible, but delaying it for a few days shouldn’t be a problem. “But, I sensed some sort of magical presence around you Malachi. It’s been bothering me ever since I entered your room and noticed that. Would you care to tell me about it?”“Magical presence? I haven’t learned any magic yet, professor.”Aldric frowned.“Every person actually has magical presence around them, one is more distinguishable than the others. Yours are the distinguishable type which mean there was a chance that you ma
Divine Empire of Iaionia was a vast empire that revolves around a central religion known as The Path of Divinity. The religion taught that the empire was divinely chosen by the gods to rule over the land and its people. The Divine Emperor was considered the living representative of the gods, and his decrees were considered sacred and unquestionable.The empire’s culture was deeply rooted in its religious beliefs. Devotion to the god was paramount, and festivals, prayers, and sacrifices were common. The Divine Emperor was the absolute ruler, considered divine in their own right. The Emperor’s decision were guided by the Council of High Priest, influential religious figure responsible for interpreting divine will and advising on governance matters.The High Priest was not an easy position to obtain. Every member of the High Priest were extremely talented and skilled magicians in the art of holy magic, said to be capable of creating miracles encompassing an entire town or landscape. In l
Amidst the garden's tranquility, Aldric's shock was palpable as his trembling hands clutched the edge of the table. The realization of Malachi's extraordinary talent had shifted the balance of power in a way he had not anticipated. The implications of an A grade talent's accelerated rate of comprehension loomed ominously over him."I... I never realized the extent of an A grade talent's capabilities," Aldric stammered, his words faltering with anxiety. Professor Thaddeus observed Aldric with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Father Aldric, is something the matter?"Aldric took a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure. "No, it's just... the news about Malachi's talent has taken me by surprise. I never imagined the depth of his potential."Professor Thaddeus chuckled, seemingly oblivious to the underlying tension. "Ah, I can understand your astonishment. A rare gem like Malachi could indeed alter the course of the empire's future. It's a testament to the gods' favor upon this l
“What are you going to do now?” Seraphina asked.“I am going back to the mansion.” Malachi immediately ran to the direction where he came from.Seraphina was confused. He retrieved the book of necromancy. From a logical perspective, Malachi should have run far away from this place and learn the art before slowly regaining his former power. If revenge was what he wanted, he could wait until he gain sufficient strength. With the memories of his past life, that shouldn’t be difficult. ‘So why is he heading back to the mansion now?’ Seraphina pondered.As Malachi sprinted through the forest, clutching the book of necromancy tightly in his hands, his mind raced with conflicting emotions. As they neared the mansion, the sounds of rustling leaves were replaced by the distant murmurs of people. The moon's soft glow began to illuminate their path as darkness settled over the landscape. “Seraphina, fly ahead and inform me if there are any guards.”“The guards are still patrolling,” Seraphina
[You have reached level 20][You have learned “Dark Bolt”][You have learned “Shadow Cloak”][You have learned “Soul Reap”][You have learned “Necrotic Aura”][You have learned “Grasp of The Abyss”][You have learned “Necromantic Art: Stygian Blades”][You have learned “Necromantic Mastery: Cursed Affliction”]Lily's heart raced as Malachi's gaze met hers, his eyes now reflecting a darkness that seemed to devour the very light around them. The room felt heavy with an otherworldly presence, and the air grew thick with tension.The maids gasped in horror, their faces pale as they exchanged fearful glances. The whispers of demonic voices seemed to grow louder, swirling around them like a malevolent chorus.“HAHAHAHA!”Malachi's lips curled into a sinister smile, and his voice carried a chilling edge as he finally spoke. "Lily, my dear, you've stumbled into a place you were never meant to see." Lily took a step back, trembling in fright as she couldn’t process what she saw.“W—who are yo
Aldric's heart raced as he sprinted through the cobblestone streets of the town, his mind racing with a singular purpose—to reach the mansion. The urgency of his mission weighed heavily on him, every step a reminder that time was slipping through his fingers. Unlocking the door, Aldric hurried inside, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. The mansion felt oddly silent and foreboding, the shadows dancing on the walls as if aware of the impending turmoil. Aldric's steps were purposeful, leading him deeper into the mansion's interior. In the main hall of the mansion, Aldric's inner turmoil raged on. His plans to eliminate Malachi had to be executed with precision and speed. He couldn't afford to underestimate the boy's capabilities any longer. “HELP!”Suddenly, he hear his daughter’s scream. “Lily?”“PLEASE HELP!”The desperate plea sliced through Aldric's thoughts like a knife, shattering his focus and replacing it with a surge of panic and dread. The voice was unmistakably Lil
As Malachi plummeted from the sky, his figure was a dark silhouette against the backdrop of the open air. The wind rushed past him, whipping his hair and clothes as he descended with startling speed.The distance between him and the ground closed rapidly, and the ground below seemed to rush up to meet him with a sense of impending impact. It was a heart-pounding moment as gravity took hold, and Malachi's mind raced to find a solution to his sudden predicament.Just when it seemed like his fall was destined to end in a bone-shattering collision, fate intervened in the form of a tree. His body collided with the upper branches of the tree, causing a cascade of leaves and twigs to scatter in all directions. The impact wasn't enough to halt his descent entirely. Instead, it served to slow him down and redirect his trajectory.With each successive branch, Malachi's fall turned into a chaotic dance of twists and turns. He bounced from one branch to another, his body contorted in unnatural a