Reborn with a Necromancer System - Chapter 76

Chapter 76: First Lesson
Kai woke the next day feeling refreshed. At least a week since he last slept. Since placing his soul essence into a phylactery, he needed much less sleep than before.

From the items provided to him by the academy, there was an interesting piece of enchanted parchment that took his interest.

Upon its page, it would details the map of the grounds with the locations of lecturers, a highlighted room where a student’s next class was, and upon thinking about it, would note any required readings for class.

Kai followed the directions of the magical parchment that displayed his class schedule through the twisting hallways of the academy. The animated script flickered slightly as he shifted directions, leading him deeper into the corridors until he arrived at a large and heavy metal door carved with symbols of fire, water, earth, and air. The sign above read: “Elemental Magic – Todd Emberbane.”

Kai exhaled sharply before stepping inside.

The classroom was structured like a small amphitheater, with rows of curved benches and desks arranged in tiers around a central demonstration area.

Many students were already seated, chatting among themselves. Some glanced at him curiously, their whispers reminding him that he was the new arrival, someone who had already missed a month of lessons.

‘I’ll catch up, though. I don’t have to sleep much, unlike all of them.’

Without drawing attention to himself, Kai moved to an empty seat near the middle. As he settled in, he glanced around and spotted Willam in the back-left corner. The green-haired boy was already flipping through a tome, his eyes as focused as always. Kai considered joining him but decided against it. He needed to gauge the classroom dynamic first.

‘I’ve lived through high school once already. I need to figure out how to fit in with or alienate myself from the other students.’

A moment later, the room fell silent as the door swung open, and a man, at least in his late eighties, strode in. His posture was stiff with authority, and his long silver hair was neatly tied back. Dressed in elegant robes of blue and white, his presence alone seemed to command respect amongst those in the class.

‘Todd Emberbane.’

The name appeared in his mind. A flash of memory from Angelica Trunsdale, the second soul he ever absorbed into his being.

Hailing from a family of ice mages so powerful they could singlehandedly end a summer, he was said to be one of the most accomplished elementalists in the academy.

And Angelica’s apprentice.

‘How old are you?’ Kai asked in his mind, as if he’d get a response.

But nothing came back. The initial spirits he gained from back in Orrinsby as a child only interacted with him when they wanted to. He tried several times in the forest with Vepice and many times in Mirth with Orlin, but he could never find stray souls out in the open again.

When the lecturer cleares his throat, Kai snapped out of his thoughts.

“Welcome, class,” Emberbane began, his voice steady and composed. “Today, we will be discussing the interactions of elemental magic. We’ve gone over the fundamentals of elemental magic, and while many of you have grasped control over singular elements, true mastery lies in how these forces interact.” He waved a hand, and a brilliant flame ignited in the air beside him, flickering with intense heat.

The flame hovered perfectly, with only a subtle change in shape while it burned.

Then, without another motion, a swirl of ice surrounded the flame, yet neither element extinguished the other.

No steam.

No water.

The two danced in harmony, contradicting yet coexisting. “This is advanced magic. For most of you, it will remain theoretical for now.”

Kai frowned slightly at that.

The lecture continued, with Emberbane explaining that combining elements required immense control and a deep understanding of both properties. The class listened attentively, though some students exchanged excited glances, eager to attempt what they had just seen.

Kai, however, didn’t listen and did not get the memo.

With a flick of his fingers, he conjured a burst of fire in his right hand and ice in his left. He wove the two together, forcing the clashing temperatures to collide. A deafening hiss echoed through the room as a dense cloud of scalding steam erupted into the air, blanketing half the classroom in an opaque mist.

‘I guess I need to work on that…’

There was a beat of stunned silence before Emberbane cleared his throat loudly, his voice cutting through the haze. “While I appreciate enthusiasm, casting spells without warning your peers, or your lecturer, is irresponsible.” He waved a hand, and a gust of wind magic swept the steam away, clearing the room in seconds.

Kai nodded, accepting the reprimand, but he didn’t miss the small hint of pride in the lecturer’s expression. Emberbane was impressed.

Of course, once the ice was broken, both literally and figuratively, the other students weren’t about to be shown up.

Emille was first, of course. He extended both hands and unleashed fire and lightning in tandem. Crackling golden arcs danced through the flames, creating an electrified blaze that shimmered with raw energy. Students gasped, some shielding their eyes from the brightness.

Then, Willam acted.

With a casual flick of his wrist, he conjured two spheres, one a ball of inky darkness, the other a glowing orb of radiant light. The two orbs hovered inches apart, each pulsing with opposing energies. He pushed them together until the orbs formed verticle discs as they squished together.

Normally, light and shadow magic were incompatible, one negating the other. Yet Willam held them in perfect balance, neither force consuming the other.

The room fell utterly silent.

Even Emberbane seemed caught off guard. “That… requires exceptional control.”

Willam merely shrugged, allowing the two discs to dissipate as he returned to his book.

Kai leaned back in his seat, taking in what had just unfolded. He had thought his own magic was rare, but this academy housed many students with exceptional abilities. Emille’s control over fire and lightning was impressive. Willam’s display was something else entirely.

‘Perhaps my magic isn’t as unique as I thought,’ Kai mused. ‘But I know for a fact that nobody here would have necromancy. And if sigilcraft were common, people would have sigils inscribed on everything.’

It seemed that while his elemental prowess wasn’t anything special in this academy, he still had a few advantages to keep hidden.

Emberbane sighed and straightened his robe. “Now that we’ve all had our little demonstrations, let’s return to the lesson, shall we? There’s nobody else who’s going to try and show up the new student?” Emberbane raised an eyebrow and surveyed the class. “No? Good. The proper use of combined elements is a difficult art. If you wish to experiment with them, do so in a controlled environment.” He leveled a firm gaze at Kai. “Preferably, with supervision.”

Kai simply nodded, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

This academy might prove to be more interesting than he had expected.