Maid with Necromancy

“What are the attendance requirements for the drama club? Harmony asked as she visited the last few tables after stopping by all the other ones, collecting flyers. Not that she needed more drama, or to be sucked back into that world that reminded her so much of her mother.

This was a strategic gathering of information. Taking her finger to the flyer, she focused on [Manipulate Dead] with [Beautician] and a dash of [Shadowed Graves] for extra darkness. Using her pointer like a pen to write on the blank area of the page, turning the dead processed plant fibers black. It was the kind of work she missed being able to do while under all the seals in the Ascendant Games. At the same time, the deeper understanding gained there helped make this possible. Theoretically, she could picture the words and have them appear, but writing had other training advantages. Ink would be easier, but she didn't have that on hand and needed the practice in synergy and connections. Three meetings a quarter and one performance. She copied down the answer. It did make the tip of her finger a tad grey as a touch of any thin outer layer of dead or dying skin was affected.

“Are you a scribe? Scripts are always needing editing; you won't believe the errors that the writers miss.”

Harmony answered with a silent shrug, adding the flyer to her stack as she left. It, like all others, listed a membership fee, the amount in silver or gold three hex converted to didn't matter, as much as the fact that her scholarship didn't cover these costs. Some of the clubs were interesting, like the one on magical theory, but having teleportation escape routes was the primary goal.

“I saved you one of these, Tertiary.” The smiling man behind the booth representing the Association of Amateur Immortalists handed her their flyer.

This was the second person who'd saved one for her. It wasn't just this special treatment. It came with a new name, and the top nine all had them, Primus, Secondus, her, and apparently, the golden boy was Quartus. It all stank of elitism and came with social mimicry that, at this moment, irritated her as she made her way through the growing crowd.

Word spread that one of the top nine at the lesser club tables was collecting all the flyers, and not only was there a rush of new students, but there was a rush of people copying her in taking every flyer they could. It’s not like they even knew why she was doing it, just that there must be some logic that helped her gain her strength in these tactics. Apparently, these open and school-sponsored clubs were avoided by most top rankers.

“Thank you.” Even if it was an elitist benefit, it was good to acknowledge that they were doing her a favor in the face of this surge of students.

Become immortal, and challenge the Gods! A community for those who wish to share knowledge rather than hoard it. Over 200 years of tradition. Meet at Fairfax Manor - See meeting schedule once school begins. Open access to their library.  Members on average see an increase in their ranks by ten after every quarter!

Most clubs tried to advertise their benefits. This one was a bit blatant and over the top. “Attendance requirements, and I don’t see a club fee?”

“We’ve never had any attendance requirements, as those who see value in what we do visit often.  The A-A-I has no costs or fees as it is fully funded by donors and former members.”

Harmony made note of that and finished up with the last two tables, Hunting Exotic Beasts and People for the Protection of Rare Creatures, who had tables across from each other and were exchanging glares. Standing between that made for a short visit before stepping out from the tables.

Alex’s grinning face waited for her as she left. “I heard you were over here.”

“Come for your own set of club notices?” Harmony asked the taller student.

“No. I just got out of my advisory meeting. I figured you could share the info you got with me, after all, that is what teammates do.” The young man answered, still pushing that angle. “May I escort you to lunch?”

The arrogance was annoying, but even now, Harmony suspected she’d fall, not for his charms but for the convenience of not needing to put effort into finding an adventuring team when she was so far behind on every other aspect of getting to know this new country, the customs, the rules of the school, and so many things. The only other offer had been from that annoying golden Quartus boy. It also wasn’t like she wanted to go unescorted to a place she’d yet learned the exact location of. The shiny metal buildings and green spaces looked all so similar that they even challenged [Recall].

“You may. And let me know how your advisory went. I’m to report back to my advisor tomorrow.”

They started to walk, and Alex started to talk. Never had Harmony been so grateful for a person who seemed to love the sound of their own voice.

“Much of it is the standard beginning classes for my class and profession type.  Combat 101, Basic Skill Combining,  Introductory Woodworking.” Alex continued talking about how his team got second behind Tasha’s in his school's dungeon speedrunning competition, and how his advisor was impressed they’d made it down three floors in their Tier Two dungeon in one whole day.

Harmony didn’t even know the tiers of Old Bones or Nae’s Garden. The only time she’d heard of that system was in relation to how spirits were categorized in The Deadwoods. As she listened, she knew his diabolical plan of letting her get to know him would probably end up settling in his favor, as she didn’t know anyone else except for Von Trell since arriving. It almost hurt to know that Alex couldn’t get to know her in the same way.

“Greep?” Hyacinth asked, concerned and sleepy, since that spike of concern had woken him up.

“It’s nothing.” She told him.

“All my levels, what is that in your pocket!” Alex asked excitedly.

“That’s my familiar,” Harmony answered a bit flatly.

“You have an adorable pocket frog? Tasha is going to be so freaking excited. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me after all of the time we’ve been spending together.”

Half a day, and not even all of it. “He’s a toad.”

“Even better!”

There was no explanation for why that was better, but Hyacinth seemed to appreciate it.

This shifted the conversation to about how all his bonds were internal and linked to skills, since those improved your ranking. He wanted a pet or a summon, but his mom forbade it. Which had him asking if he could hold Hyacinth and scratching him under his tiny chin, which eventually ended up with the shadow toad riding on Alex’s shoulder as they stepped into one of the three cafeterias on campus. For welcome week, they were available to all first-years; after that, they were limited to those living in the dorms or paying extra.

After going through the food line and picking up tiny cages of the moving food that seemed to be the food choice for this region, they approached the table with two out of three familiar faces.  

“What is that?!” Tasha squealed, pointing at Alex’s shoulder.

“A very dangerous creature,”Tun-Knee answered, scooting his chair away slightly.

Alex introduced Hyacinth, and Harmony sat down while the others talked excitedly. During the excitement, where Harmony tossed in a few comments while Hyacinth chirped responses all the others found adorable but unintelligible.

This all made the inclusion of the new girl stand out even more. Harmony turned her attention to the quiet, shy young girl who had yet to say a peep. She barely looked developed enough to be that far out from her initial choice, and she was staring, eyes never flicking to anyone else, not even the super popular Hyacinth. Harmony offered her hand,  “I’m Harmony White, and you are?”

“Xera Chase, rank sixteen, your new defender. May we rely on each other on the deepest of floors. The bond between defender and healer is supposed to be stronger than life itself. Did you know there hasn’t been a healer in the top nine in one thousand two hundred and seventy-three years? And never in the top five. When I heard of you, I had to be on your team.”

As Xera grasped Harmony’s hand. She saw the activation of several skills start, enough to make her glad she’d chosen to continue to use soul sight to evaluate more students, both to check for additional Becca analogues and to get a feel of what she could be walking into. It was another bloody oath-type skill.

Chronostasis, with [Mana Rotation] for a surge to push out [Final Silence], allowed Harmony to be quicker on the reaction. It helped that she was able to focus the skill through this mental and visual filter to target the specific parts she needed to interrupt first.

Xera reeled back, stunned and locked into silence, unable to use skills or utter a word. No one else noticed at the table because she had been so quiet.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t accept oaths with those whom I’ve just met. Perhaps some polite discussion first. A drink and some conversation?”

[Poise and Bearing] kept Harmony outwardly calm, but inwardly she ran through every curse word she’d overheard growing up on the streets and among theatre folk. It was quite a lengthy list. It would be useful if Xera weren’t staring at her with even more awe than fear or caution.

“Something happen?” Alex asked.

“Greep, greep, greep, greep.” Hyacinth chuckled.

“Our Tertiary was greeting our newest member,” Tun-Knee said with some amusement.

Harmony pulled a green four-legged cube out of a cage and threw it into her mouth. After you got past the shell, it tasted like strawberries. At this point, all she wanted was a full night's sleep and not get tangled up in any more crazy first-day antics.  

Across the room, Becca was smiling and waving as she walked toward the table, her frackling, clinging by its tentacles to her shoulder and using its four eyes to scan the room. That was enough to cause Hyacinth to hop back into her pocket. Even with the obscure mention of secrets earlier by the higher-level student, at this point, a tour of new shadows sounded more appealing than risking her newest teammate trying to oath her again. There had been no immediate jump to that action by the defender as the silence ended, but why risk it? That child needed to be sat down and given a long talk in private.  

“My dorm’s resident associate is here to give a short tour. If you don’t mind.” Harmony addressed the group as she stood up.

They did mind.

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