Chapter IV.V (4.5) - The Undead Hotspring

  Anata clung to the back of his shirt as Kizu zipped through the streets. He narrowly pulled up, erupting upwards and over a house. His foot brushed shingles as he flew by. The broom under him stable and completely under his control. It responded to his prodding immediately. It was surprisingly easy to master, only taking an hour or so of practice before he understood the basics.

  Anata laughed and pointed down at the people below as they gaped up at them.

  It was their last chance to really get to see the city before heading back to Shinzou Academy. Kizu had finally finished reading through Wakino’s assigned tome and wanted to get a bit of fresh air before his final spatial lesson. And Anata wanted to go out to see the city one last time.

  The pink and white cherry blossom trees mingled. They spread out, blanketing the city beneath them as they flew over. Already, Kizu could spot green speckling the tree branches. Spring was coming to an end.

  A breeze blew past, whipping up pink petals into the air. Anata snatched at them as they passed by.

  When they touched back down to the ground, it wasn’t at Aoi’s mansion, but instead in an abandoned village up in the mountains. It looked a lot less sinister in the daytime. Instead, it just came off as…sad. The town’s dilapidated buildings looked a gust of wind away from collapsing into a massive heap of rubble.

  Kizu walked through the streets, broom resting on his shoulder, and thought about all the lives that once existed here. Every broken piece of wood once had a carpenter shape it. The moldy doll in the grass once had a child clutch at it. The broken water pipe that now sprayed a rainbow of mist into the air once pumped hot onsen water into homes. Everything had a purpose, now lost to time.

  He pressed his hand against the wall of a dilapidated building and stepped through the illusion and into Saigo Negai Inn.

  Friendly chatter between patrons washed over him and the few eyes that glanced his way met him with more warmth than their undead bodies should rightfully possess. The mummy he’d spoken to before respectfully bowed his head in Kizu’s direction.

  The ghostly innkeeper floated up to them.

  “Kaga Kizu,” she greeted him. “Are you here to rest? I’m afraid our baths are not prepared for guests at the moment. But you’re of course welcome to rest in the common room for as long as you’d like.”

  Kizu gave her a shaky smile. “I…actually came to tell you about your grandson.”

  “I know what happened to Ken.”

  “Oh.” Kizu bit his lip and glanced at the other undead. Were they planning to ambush him suddenly for his part in Necro’s death? But no, they all looked as pleasant as ever. Throumbos the ghost looked to be dozing. Kizu hadn’t even know ghosts could doze.

  “His soul still rests on the mortal plain,” the innkeeper continued. She smoothed out her transparent dress. “I do not begrudge you his current existence. My grandson chose a path of vengeance and hatred. However, I deeply hope he’ll come home soon. His pupil said he would attempt to make contact with us.”

  “His pupil?” Kizu took another glance around the room and noticed one person in the far corner who did not belong. He wore a heavy black cloak which wasn’t unusual for sentient undead, but what was unusual was him hunching over and tugging at his hood when Kizu looked in his direction.

  One of the necromancers who’d escaped. It didn’t look like Sotoba either, the one they’d dumped on Hone after escaping the Death Party lair. This was a different necromancer. Kizu considered confronting the mage, but quickly dismissed that idea. Anata was here and he didn’t want to start a fight at the moment. If it was one of the witches, then he might be more tempted to try to capture the Death Party member to appease the witch covens. But a necromancer wouldn’t do much to mend that bridge. Not worth the effort.

  “Are we going to have a problem?” Kizu called across the inn to the lone living resident. Heads turned and the necromancer shrunk further in his seat as undead scrutiny appraised him.

  “N-no! I’m leaving town in the morning. Don’t mind me. Necro told me not to even contact him again. He’s doing everything himself now. I’m not involved!”

  Kizu weighed the words. He debated whether or not they were truthful but decided he didn’t care. The Death Party was over. Nearly all their members were dead. One subpar necromancer wasn’t going to threaten the nation. He turned his attention back to the innkeeper.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “I wanted to talk to you about a few things, if you have the time.”

  “Time is a currency I happen to possess in abundance.” She waved her hand at an empty table and Kizu and Anata took seats there while she floated in a sitting position across from them.

  “Well, first of all, I wanted to let you know about the legalization of necromancy in Hon. It’s heavily regulated and a lot of necromancers aren’t likely to appear right away, but there may be a small influx of patrons to your inn in the next few months.”

  “They will, of course, be welcome to stay. Anyone you know specifically?”

  “An old acquaintance of mine, Hone, has taken a position as an advisor to the Emperor. With your permission, I’d like to tell him and his daughter about this place. Especially his daughter. She’s an old friend and I worry she might have a hard time among…people not like her.”

  The innkeeper didn’t need any more of an explanation

  “Anything else?”

  Kizu took out a small, square block of wood and passed it across the table. Aoi had helped him carve an intricate design into the edges. Under his spellsense it thrummed with power.

  “This is more of a personal favor,” he said, a bit embarrassed.

  The innkeeper’s hand became physical and she lifted the block of wood, twisting it around in the air as she examined it.

  “These wards are familiar,” she said. “Rare, but I’ve seen a similar device used by travelers. This is a gate spell. But smaller than any I’ve seen before. What do you wish me to do with this enchanted trinket? Transport mice?”

  “I was hoping you might be willing to place this in one of the hotspring channels. Maybe an old pipe?”

  She set the wood block back on the table and smiled at him. “You enjoyed our baths that much?”

  Anata took the lead on that answer as she leaned forward and nodded fervently. While Kizu doubted he could recreate the ambience of the inn’s baths, he could at least transport the water. It was the same design as he’d used on his bookshelf for his Enchanting C final. He had big plans for Owl’s Respite this semester and this was only the first piece of that. At first he’d asked Aoi about setting it up in her palace baths, but that had been swiftly dismissed as an option due to the security risks a portal into the middle of a royal family’s home would place on the residents. Aoi had fought for it, but eventually been shut down by the Elites tasked with protecting the family. After the assassination and terrorist attempt, they were even more on edge than usual about potential threats. He and Aoi had relented and decided to instead try out here.

  “I will do as you ask,” the innkeeper said, looking kindly on Anata. “I will do my best to place it somewhere discreet, but be aware that some types of spirits may still be able to use a portal like this, despite its size, if they discover it.”

  “Can they activate it without a trigger?” Kizu asked.

  “That is…extremely unlikely. Not impossible, but I have never met a spirit with spatial affinity of the sort that would allow them that ability.”

  Kizu nodded. That was what he’d assumed. He purposefully designed the gate without a trigger so only someone with a decent foundation of spatial spellcraft would be able to activate it. It also would help him make certain that Anata or Aoi didn’t accidentally flood their ship. Or the Kitsune. He had to remind himself that those two siblings would be moving aboard soon and carry with them their own host of unique challenges.

  After a bit more smalltalk about the city and its recovery from Necro’s attempted assault, Kizu and Anata stood and started for the door.

  “If I may have a moment of your time, Kaga Kizu.”

  Kizu turned his head and saw the mummy lord standing, his body wrapped entirely in thick linen bandages. The undead had always remained pleasant and respectful in every conversation they’d had before. And that was even despite Aoi’s constant quizzing him with invasive questions about his embalming process.

  “Of course. What can I help you with?”

  “I have received notice that in the civilizations between here and my homeland there has been a massive disturbance. I am aware that you are from this nation. However, I worry for the well-being of any of your companions and their families. Is their safety ensured at this time?”

  Kizu blinked. Then he bit his lip. He’d been avoiding thinking about the Calamities. At the mummy’s prompting, a memory resurfaced. Of him standing in the crone’s prison cell while she told him repeatedly to go to the west. He’d saved lives by staying in Hon and helping handle the Death Party. But…what if he could have accomplished more if he’d listened and gone immediately? Would more people be alive? If the crone was to be believed, then yes. He’d failed them.

  But he wasn’t omniscient like her! He couldn’t be everywhere and know everything. If he’d gone, the Death Party would have committed their massacre. Weighing a citywide massacre against a genocide on the other side of the world wasn’t fair. He logically knew that. But he still felt like he was chained down by a responsibility that shouldn’t be on him.

  “Kaga Kizu? Have my words offended you?”

  “No!” Kizu snapped back out of his thoughts. “Yes. The Dragons have returned in Edgeland. I don’t know how extensive the damage is. I haven’t heard from anyone in the nation myself.”

  Sophia, Aoi’s friend, mentioned that her parents were ironically safe on their campaign in Ilosin-Don. But the others over there? Was Harvey and his family okay? What about Emilia? His friend from Music F, Gregor? There were so many Tainted classmates at Shinzou Academy. What would happen to them all now?

  “Please be aware if there is anything the Ali Clan can do for you, you need only ask. While the undead are feared and often despised by the residents in this land, back in the west I still hold a great deal of political sway over my nation. We exalted undead, while lacking true authority to decide the course of the living, still are respected and listened to as advisors. The Library of Ketabakhaneh is the most expansive collection of recorded history in the known world. Few that can boast equaling our knowledge in many topics.”

  A thought suddenly appeared. The seed of an idea.

  “Actually, there is one thing.”

  Twelve Blood Curse Academia chapters (6 weeks) ahead of Royal Road on Patreon!