Necromancer High

These do not follow the story chronologically, and are simple scenes that offer some insight on the characters and the setting. The chapters marked as 'Chapter #:' are the ones relevant chronologically.

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In the darkness of an old, dust-filled library, a shadow bent over a wooden desk. Her tired eyes hid behind broken spectacles, as her gaze scanned page after page of secrets and demonic incantations. Her hands, bony and arthritic to the point where they trembled fiercely with every movement, and shook with every turn of yet another ancient page, wandered clumsily through papers and scrolls. Her graying hair hung from her head like strands of web, covering her face and hiding a long, vertical scar that ran down her forehead, crossed thrice by the middle with horizontal cuts.

She fumbled meekly with several books, trying to find the correct one. Her arms moved like rusted machines, barely able of locomotion, but still capable, even if barely, of carrying. The shadow, a human female, took hold of a large book, and carried it with her, as her feet moved her broken frame from the desk and through long corridors flanked by shelves overflowing with scrolls, books, boxes, and papers.

She placed one foot in front of the other like it was painful, but she managed to exit the maze and approach an open space, filled with a small table, chairs, and a leather couch. She walked toward the couch, and lowered her arms to offer the book to the figure sprawled on it.

"Dismissed." Spoke the figure, with a dry voice like dead leaves crunching under ones foot. A scaly hand that ended in claws reached out and took the book, retracting it from the woman's hold, and placing it on the armrest of the couch. The woman bowed and wandered off, mindlessly moving through the maze, until a new order was given to her.

Azcis the Recruiter, laid on his back, resting his leg on the wooden table sitting in the middle of the room. From the knee to the heel, bandages covered his left leg, with only the foot being free of the white wrappings stained in blood. The reptilian necromancer sighed and let out a grunt as he adjusted himself to a sitting position, trying his best not to move his leg too much.

"Three more weeks." He muttered under his breath, and his tail reached out to grab a hold of the book sitting on the armrest. "I sometimes wonder if it was worth it."

From behind him, leaning against one of the shelves, a second figure made his appearance.

"You brought it onto yourself, Azcin." The newcomer said, an air of amusement surrounding his words. "Ponies. I still doubt your sanity over such a thing."

Azcin opened the book, eyeing through the pages rapidly. "Everyone does. That is no news to me." He settled his sight on a particular page after a while, and he softly commenced to read to himself, stopping only after a few minutes to speak with his interlocutor. "Why would you care anyway? You have your own sector and students, do you not?"

"The myrians and grarians are fine, I suppose, but I never thought I'd live to see the day when Azcin, the great educator of humans, venusians, and farians would also take ponies under his wing." Said the figure, as he slowly emerged from the shadows, smiling. "It just doesn't make much sense to me, considering how savage and competitive your other charges are. How do you expect the tiny horses to survive?"

Azcin turned around to face his companion. He was a male. Tall and strong, with four appendices ending in claws upon which he walked. His muscular arms were crossed as he smiled down at Azcin. His body was covered in a black carapace with dark blue stripes running horizontally from his back. His eyes were a deep, dark navy blue, and long fangs adorned his mouth.

Azcin cocked his head to the side, eyeing him carefully. "New shell, Axtraz? What happened to the red and black one from before?"

Axtraz chuckled. "Answer the question."

"I don't expect them to merely survive." Azcin said, as he nodded. "I expect them to show these kids something they forgot long ago." He continued with a pensive look, gazing off into space. Axtraz tilted his head sideways, and tapped his fingers against his arm.

"I guess it's your business then." Axtraz muttered and left the room, glancing backwards briefly. "Don't get too involved in helping those ponies if it means throwing your life away though. It isn't worth it.."

Azcin heard as Axtraz walked out of the library and closed the door. The recruiter then laid his head back, and went to sleep.