The Necromancer's Wand: Rise of the Phoenix

“We will use the Phoenix Estate,” I revealed, opening my arms out like I was unveiling a grand gift.

“Does your family not reside there?” Mordin questioned.

I turned to face the necromancer. “I have no family,” I spoke coldly, dropping my arms back down to my side. “My only family was my sister.”

The necromancer was pleased with my response, giving a little smile. “Then, the Phoenix Estate will be our base. But before we take our leave, take a piece of me with you.”

“A piece of you?”

“A bone from the pointer finger to be precise. The wand’s power can always be improved. By adding my bone, and your victim’s, to the wand, you increase its power.”

“Does it have to be one of my victims?” I asked curiously. “For I had someone else in mind...”

“No, but it must be the bone of a pointer finger. The one that grips the wand...”

“Why so specific?”

“We are conduits, means of which magic flows. A wand is a tool upon which we can channel our magic into. When a spell is cast, the energy inside you is transferred from the fingers that grip the wand, pointer and thumb, into the wand. And when you speak the spell you are casting, you are actually stating to the wand what to form, or do, with the energy that you transferred into it.”

“I understand,” I stated. I walked up to the crypt, grabbing a hold of his skeletal hand. With my other hand I snapped the pointer finger off Mordin’s right hand. He sighed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“I forgot to mention that I was left-handed...” he explained, placing his hand on his forehead in a shamed manner.

“I’m sorry...” I laid the finger inside the tomb with him and removed the correct one this time, placing it in my pant’s pocket.

“Good, keep it safe. I will show you how to fuse it to the wand later, after we settle in at the estate.”

“Speaking of...I have only used a wand once before today. I do not know many spells. I read what I could, but I was of course unable to practice them.”

“Worry not...I can help train you. You will learn all I have to know. Now, use the Varos teleportation spell to rid us crypt...”

I waved my wand and cast, “Varos.” A white, glowing, pentagram formed around me. I stood in the center of it. “Phoenix Estate.” In a burst of dark smoke, I was teleported from Mordin’s Crypt.

The pentagram formed outside the Phoenix mansion, along with me still standing in its center. It was night here as well. “Home, sweet home...” I softly spoke.

I looked at the stone stairs, the rails on each side having the statue of a phoenix. I ascended up the vast staircase, looking around once familiar territory. The mansion was far south, away from civilization. It sat near a cliff, overlooking the Aurora Sea.

The sea was beautiful, unlike any other. At night was the best time to view it. The sea waters glowed streaks of different colors, like the aurora borealis in the non-caster world. After I claim the estate, I should go look upon them...for it has been too long.

I focused at the task at hand as I arrived to the top of the stairs. The Phoenix Estate had a color scheme, the house being scarlet with black shutters upon the windows. I walked over to the red door, standing firmly in front of it. I knocked upon the door and waited a moment for an answer. I placed my hands behind my back hiding the wand, holding it in my right.

My father opened the door, looking shocked and confused. I resembled him. He had short black hair and the same chiseled jaw, except his was hid by a nicely kempt beard. He wore a black suit with a red undershirt, representing our family’s color as well.

He squinted his eyes as if that was going to change who I was. “Corvin?” he finally asked in low tone. “Your face...your eyes! Are you cursed?”

“On the contrary father, I feel fantastic,” I stated sarcastically with a grin. I brought the wand forth, aiming at my father. “Gusto,” I chanted. A swirling ball of how-powered winds formed and shot from my wand.

It hit my father in the chest, sending him flying back inside the mansion. As I walked inside, I watched as he planted on his back in the middle of the hallway. I looked over, to the right, inside the living room. My mother stood next to the fireplace, horrified.

She wore a white dress, along with our family pearls. She was beautiful, still maintaining some youth in her looks. She had long, fiery, hair like the creature of our last name. It pained me to see her though, for Claire resembled our mother...even the red hair.

“Hello mother,” I greeted. “Radiant as ever...” I bowed mockingly. Then I turned the wand back on my father as he sat up from the ground.

“How?” he asked as his eyes fixed on my wand. “That wand...it can’t be.”

“Hex...” I enchanted. This was a two part spell. By saying ‘Hex’ it activates the spell. A little white light emitted from the tip of my wand. The second word was to state which hex I were placing. I wanted to make my father suffer, as he made me, and I had the perfect hex in mind.

“It is forbidden to use a Hex!”

I twisted the wand in my hand, “Bane,” I spoke coldly. The white light turned red as my father screamed in pain and agony. The Bane Hex had a nickname, The Torture Hex. It caused chaos within the body, making the entire nervous system go haywire.

It was said that the sensation feels as though your skin is on fire and it felt like you were being stabbed rapidly by thousands of prodding needles everywhere. Which I can see was true, for my father was sweating profusely and flailing about on the floor.

“As you can see...” I started boastfully. “I do not abide by the laws set by the Council of Magic. In fact, like you, they will know what it feels like to be on the wrong end of my wand...”

I anticipated that my mother would eventually find the courage to intervene. As she removed her wand from its holster on her waistline, I turned my wand to her. “Drop it,” I ordered threateningly. The wand shook in her hand. “Now...”

She did as instructed, the sound of her wooden wand tapping against the floor. I waved my wand at hers. It soared from the ground, flying over to me. I reached out with my left hand, as it flew directly into my grasp.

“Know that the only reason why I spared you, was because you gave Claire and I life,” I spoke plainly. “Like him, you left me to rot with the humans. And then, they took her from me...”

“We all miss Claire my dear,” started my mother. “The way you are going about mourning her is...”

I quickly brought the tip of my wand up to my face, pressing it against my lips. “Shh...” I enchanted. The minor spell I cast was known as the Silencing Spell. It sealed my mother’s lips shut, as if they were glued, preventing her from talking any more. “Trying to share motherly advice? Too little too late...”

My father saw that I was focused on my mother, or so he believed. I heard as he shuffled to find his wand. As he grabbed it, I quickly turned back to face him. “Sola Trapis,” I cast. The wand tore my father’s soul from his body, consuming it entirely. As his body fell back down to the floor, lifeless, I felt the cracks in my face worsen.

I turned to my mother. “The estate is mine,” I claimed. “Take nothing with you...just your meaningless life.” As she scurried toward the door, I stopped her. “Wait...aren’t you forgetting something?” She turned back around and noticed that I was pointing to father.

I aimed my wand at his corpse. “Hovour,” I chanted with a flick of my wrist. My father’s body shimmered, and sparkled, as he began to levitate. My mother walked over, grabbing my father by the feet. She dragged him through the air, out the front door with her.

I waved my wand at the door, slamming it shut. I walked further down the hallway, reaching a staircase on my left that led to the second floor. I ascended up the stairs, to where the bedrooms were.

I continued walking down a narrow hallway, stopping at the last door on the right. Hanging on the door were drawings of Phoenixes and awards won by my sister. She was top of her class, a straight-A student at Lunar Institute of Magic. It was a highly accredited, witch only, college.

I stood there frozen, fearfully, to see what lied within. I opened her bedroom, missing her instantly for her aroma still lingered. I walked into the room and immediately noticed a theater mask sitting upon her study desk.

A memory was brought forth of Claire. It was when she gave me the mask as a gift for our tenth birthday. She painted it herself. However, our parents disowned me shortly after. I must of forgotten it here. She held on to it all this time...

I sat my mother’s wand down on the desk, grabbing the mask instead. I left Claire’s room, walking to my parents. Theirs was the first room on the left, at the beginning of the hall. As I entered the master room, I made my way over to their massive walk-in closet. I found a hooded black robe, of my father’s, perfect for me.

I stripped out of my suit and into my new attire, wearing the mask over my face. The robe had a wand holster on its waistline, upon which I sheathed my wand. Newly dressed, I left the master room back downstairs.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I continued walking down the hallway. I entered into the dining room, adjacent to the kitchen. The dining room had back doors, that led out into the backyard.

I pushed open the doors, peering out in the backyard. The backyard ended as it turned into a cliff. I walked down the patio steps, spanning the entire yard over to the cliffside. I peered out, looking upon the Aurora Sea. It had streaks of greens, pinks, and purples shinning in its waters.

Mordin appeared next to me, in a flash of jaded flames. “Beautiful,” he spoke softly.

“My...sister and I would just sit here for hours,” I shared. “We didn’t say a word...just sat there taking in the view.”

He placed his hand on my shoulder, as a comfort. “We will avenge her, especially now that we have the estate.”

“Yes...” I spoke, reassured. His words focused me. “First, I think it wise that we train together. Then, when I have truly mastered the wand, we begin recruiting.”

“We will begin your training tomorrow, as you request...And if I may say, I like the new look. It is the look of a necromancer.”