Chapter 78: Death of a Guardian
“Master says my mother was preparing to leave, as if she had completed her task or found the treasure. But just then, two powerful Necromancers suddenly appeared near the Sacred Tree.”
Maggie seemed distressed. Abyss understood; this was likely the story of her mother’s death.
“The two Necromancers weren’t together. They seemed to be racing, arriving one after the other. As soon as they met, they started fighting. The battle was intense; even the Grand Sage had to intervene to protect the nearby residents. My mother and a few other Necromancers who were also preparing to leave joined the fight, siding with the first Necromancer against the second.”
“The second Necromancer was incredibly powerful; even together, they couldn’t gain the upper hand. They unleashed all sorts of spells, even summoning undead armies. The battle raged,” Maggie recounted. “Master says my mother and the others eventually won. The enemy was severely injured, his magic core damaged, and he fled. But during the fight, he used a vicious spell to injure my mother, causing her heart to weaken.”
“The spell was embedded in her; even if the Druids could give her an artificial heart, it wouldn’t help. Even a new heart would gradually fail.”
“The other Necromancers, including the one who had arrived first, all left, leaving only my dying mother. She cared for me for over a month before she passed, singing to me every day, watching the stars with me. Almost all my memories of her are from that time.”
These words evoked Maggie’s memories; her expression turned sad. Flora gently embraced her, offering comfort. In Flora’s arms, Maggie seemed to calm down.
“Then she died. Master says, as a Necromancer, she wasn’t afraid of death. Her only regret was not being able to stay with my father and me, not being able to see all the beautiful things in the world. She was buried in the nearby cemetery, but no one wanted a Necromancer buried near their family, so her grave stands alone in an inconspicuous place.”
“After burying my mother, my grieving father decided to leave the Druid gathering. He had no friends left; everyone avoided him, the man who married a Necromancer. Only Master still treated him as a friend.”
“My father wanted to take me with him, but Master stopped him, telling him not to bring a child on his wanderings. He offered to raise me, a high-ranking Druid, ensuring I received a proper upbringing.”
“My father thought long and hard, finally agreeing. He left the Druid gathering, and I began studying magic under Master.”
“Because I have Necromancer blood, my peers wouldn’t play with me. Warned by their elders, they didn’t bully me, but I never experienced friendship; I was always ostracized. Before I met you, my best friend was a squirrel, but it only liked the nuts I gave it.”
Flora held Maggie tightly; Maggie seemed content, her expression calm despite the sad story.
Abyss understood Maggie’s plight. Necromancers were a reviled profession, even more so in elven society than among humans.
Elves valued lineage, linking ancestral honor to personal honor. If an elf was a sinner, their descendants would bear the stigma unless they performed great deeds to redeem their bloodline.
Elves generally didn’t engage in mob bullying; it was considered uncivilized. But they had their own way of dealing with the dishonored: ostracization. They wouldn’t form bonds or offer them a chance to belong.
“Do you think my mother was a bad person? I never knew what she was doing, but I believe she wasn’t evil,” Maggie whispered, nestled in Flora’s embrace.
“Your mother definitely wasn’t a bad person. No villain would sacrifice their life protecting something without seeking any personal gain,” Leona said. “Why be a villain when you can be so selfless?”
“She must have been protecting something very important,” Rebecca said thoughtfully. “And it was more important than her life – likely something meant for the first of the two Necromancers who arrived. She probably knew the first one was coming, so she was preparing to leave, but she didn’t expect the second one to arrive as well.”
“Perhaps it was a conflict between Necromancer factions?” Abyss suggested. “Two factions vying for a treasure left by Agnes, and Maggie’s mother’s faction won.”
“Master says my mother strictly adhered to the Necromancer’s creed, as did those who were with her,” Maggie added, raising her hand. “And those they defeated didn’t. I’ve forgotten the specifics of the creed, but I remember it being similar to the Druidic principles, emphasizing balance and reverence.”
“Hmm… I have a strange feeling,” Abyss scratched his head, his expression troubled. “But I can’t pinpoint the source…”
“To be honest, I have a feeling too. Miss Agnes’s death seems connected to current events,” Rebecca added. Her intuition was usually accurate.
“That’s my mother’s story. My peers never wanted to hear it; it feels good to finally tell someone,” Maggie said, hugging Flora’s waist. “Thank you for being my friends. Oh, by the way, my mother left a journal when she died. It’s with my master. I’ve seen it; it’s written in unknown symbols, very mysterious. No one can understand it, not even the Grand Sage. I wonder if it’s related to the secrets of the past.”
“Hmm? A journal?” Abyss was immediately intrigued.
Leave a Reply