“Hey Teddy this book that Mr.Wayne dropped off keeps referencing Pseudo-Humans but as something else. Also it's about Living Souls. Do any of the others say something about this?” Mandy asked.

  Teddy and Mandy didn’t have anything worth practicing. Wayne’s stack of books were much more varied then the two Nate had procured. A notebook neatly packed with notes lay next to Teddy’s open book. Mandy was impressed at the density of his notes and reading comprehension. He plowed through the books within the library but that didn’t seem to capture what he was currently doing.

  Each mention of specific terms or processes were documented with a separate page placing down where terms diverged or became muddled. In books filled with magic jargon and no unified system this posed a hefty problem that was being expertly taken care of by Teddy. Mandy was keeping up but was having a harder time catching up on all of the terms.

  “Let me see. Is this the word? Hmm, I don’t think this is one of Wayne’s books.”

  Teddy turned the book over in his hands. It was a rough leather bound volume with a tightly drawn magic circle on the front. He still couldn’t tell what each did but from the few clues that were there he formed a small idea. This book could be contracted or acted as a contract stand in. Whatever it did was contract related.

  “Yeah, CrossRoader. It seems to explain the process of making a pseudo-human but the process doesn’t seem complete. The Reference is to that of these CrossRoaders.” Mandy said.

  Teddy flipped open the book to the area marked by a sticky note. Here it detailed the process of creating a pseudo-human. Moving some texts around he landed on his notebooks reference page. There was a lack of information in regards to them but that didn’t mean there were zero. Glancing through he opened the relevant books. A quarter of an hour passed as he checked between the books. Until finally he found what he was looking for hidden with a black book that was about early golem creation.

  “We know that Allison was a pseudo-human. You know Nate’s friend that got snatched.” Teddy started.

  “Ok, and they said that her power was engrained into her body. Or rather that her body was a magic circle.” Mandy said.

  “Correct, it seems to be a complicated process with a varied number of ways to go about it. The book you were reading is going about it in a potentially incorrect method. The writer was targeting the soul with a process close to that of CrossRoaders.”

  “And what are they?” Mandy asked with interest.

  “So this spell on Page twenty five seems to be related to transferal. I found a similar one in this book here about basic magics. It allows the temporary exchange of magic circles. Nate said something before his training about having received a magic circle from someone. I think what he did was an advanced version of this spell.”

  “How is that relevant?” Mandy asked.

  “That’s where this book on golems comes into play. It tells the story of a Necromancer obsessed with bringing life to a golem. Not just artificial movements but creating a true existence all its own. A true life that the two could share till his death. No matter what he did he couldn’t achieve the result he desired.”

  Mandy didn’t make a sound waiting for him to continue as he took in a deep breath. The small boy was looking worn out at this point. Clearly he still hadn’t recovered from the excitement the day prior. Still he kept working not to let his brother down.

  “One night he comes across a man at where two roads meet. The man was said to be a demon or the devil himself. He offered to the golem master a spell that would bring life to anything that he touched. All he wanted in return was his living soul. The man so consumed with success agreed.” Teddy said.

  “I see. So Crossroaders gain power from a demon or devil granting them power? Did he bring the golem to life?” Mandy questioned.

  “Yes, but it wasn’t worth it. Everything he touched came to life. At first it was human shaped things like his preseish golem and then it was his tools. The walls and doors. Eventually his own skin and hands were alive. He died shortly thereafter.” Teddy ended.

  “So that was the living soul contract? It says here that you can spend their age as currency to spirits but that you also gain their soul upon their death. That demon must have known the power would kill him.”

  The two fell into contemplation for a time. Mandy took back the book from Teddy as she located the next magic circle. Teddy wrote out a sticky note that he placed onto the top of the page. The words Brand were evident and bolded.

  “What was the mistake that this book made?” Mandy asked.

  “Pseudo-humans are a derivative of homunculus in most of the writing. Just as the Doctors said her body is the magic circle so her magic doesn’t cost spirit energy from within her soul. His writings over branding or more precisely carving a magic circle into the soul. Unlike forming the spirit house like a necromancer they can only cast that magic. At least that was his theory, he was trying to make transferal magic more permanent.”

  “Didn’t Nate do that?” Mandy mused.

  “Ah, no bro’s is different. He can only use the magic as it has been embedded. No training should make it stronger; he can only overclock it with more spirit energy. The person who he received it from could make it grow because it wasn’t just physical but also spiritual. This book wanted to skip the physical part and its limitations.”

  “So he was trying to replicate the Crossroaders without having to sell his soul to the devil.”

  An idea came across Mandy’s mind at that moment. A smile which had been chased away by everything that was happening spread across her face. She roped Teddy into her plot as she went into full swing. Soon she wouldn’t be some useless girl, she would take her position back.

  ***

  The rest of Nate’s first day of training passed without any more bumps in the road. They had set aside his use of the corruption ability till the next day. Their focus readjusted to the use of the spirits within the basement. The clump of spirits before his corruption had been a difficult wall. Now they separated and pulled apart with ease.

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  Previously his training had been about focusing on the grade one spirits as individual units. That task had mostly succeeded. The edges that delineated each spirit became clear. Worryingly the Blood Spirit had still not lost its darkened color. Though it wasn’t aggressive within the spirit house.

  Taking a single spirit Nate directed it into Karah’s magic circle. Her’s was his newest acquisition as she had awakened during the fight. Power flowed out into his body. It was a magic that appeared to double his physical abilities. He still wouldn’t reach near Karah's normal strength but it would allow him to escape against slower opponents.

  Nate’s available magic circles were varied but none had as much offensive power. Lupita’s bite being the only exception. Karah’s was an increase in power. Boudica had explained that hers was in a similar vein. The Blight Spirit could enhance an item far beyond it’s normal power. She did so by touch and altering its shape.

  Her use of the ability had made the wand much stronger but Wayne complained when he’d seen it. As the lesson went on he busied himself repairing the wand. They had overclocked it afterall.

  The Dryad was still under a temporary contract so Nate didn’t want to grow overly reliant on her power. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t practice with it but that it was of less importance. The snaring power of the Thorn Wood had been essential during his fight with Kent.

  Theodora fell into a similar boat to her Knight. Her corruption power affects one’s mind to change its shape and desires. It wasn’t something easily practiced as it would require him to delve into someone's mind. Her second spell wasn’t of any better help though he also had a slight aversion to its use.

  Propagation was a useful power that would enhance all of his spirits over time but that didn’t mean he could use it as he wanted. The spell would take a lower grade spirit and transform them into a higher grade. The max Theodora could manage was her own grade. Nate figured he’d be able to push it higher with some study.

  He just didn’t want to put any of the girls through its usage. If they were damaged or changed he wouldn’t know what to do with himself. His father’s contract for responsibility was feverishly wrapping around him when those thoughts came to mind.

  “Karah, I want you to cast your magic.” Nate asked.

  “Ok, but it’s still rough.” Karah replied.

  Clouds fluffy and white surrounded her wrists and ankles with small sparks of lightning. Nate inspected her closely. His face's intense look made her blush slightly as he walked circles around her.

  “Tell me what you feel when I do this?” Nate said.

  Nate pulled off a piece of the amalgamation of spirits and fed it into the Karah’s magic circle. The process started by pulling it into her room within the house from there he would extract the magic into the physical world. Unlike Lupita’s that felt like second nature this one was still alien. Nate thought it was because Karah wasn’t used to using the spell herself.

  Magic fluctuated around Karah as clouds formed around her elbows and knees. She had been unprepared for the sudden increase in power and took a step forward. Unlike the magic she had cast which seemed completely natural her body didn’t immediately adapt to Nate’s spell. The step crush the ground under her foot causing her to trip.

  Catching herself with both hands she tore the concrete roof to pieces like it was wet tissue paper. Each movement ripped and tore the ground. Worriedly Nate cancelled his spell. Returning her to only double her strength. As he did so her body came back under her control.

  “Damn, thats so fucking cool. Nate, Nate lets do it again. This time I won’t let it get the better of me.” Karah exclaimed.

  Nate felt relief pass over him; he didn't want to put her through another bad experience so soon after the last one. Still wouldn’t just yet mention to Karah the fact that he could boost her once more before his first spell would fade. She was hard pressed to increase her strength, if he offered she might end up hurting herself with what he expected to be eight times the strength.

  “Ok, you’ll train under the four times increase until you can move around without destroying everything. I’m going to make these contracts and then we can begin more experimentation.” Nate said.

  The spirits that had been provided along with his purchase at the Tyrant’s store would now be relevant. He hand’t contracted them previously due to the lack of time and somewhat thinking they weren’t all that useful. Before he began Theodora appeared before him with smiling eyes.

  “Nate, my lord. The Spirit as per our contract. It will still be yours but I was wondering. Can I have that thing you were tinkering with?”

  A wide genuine smile filled her face. Nate didn’t have enough of a connection to feel her emotions but he knew she was not just a little interested in the blood spirit. She oozed greed over the thing. He was hesitant to give it to her without knowing what he’d done to it.

  “Is it safe?” Nate asked.

  “My, of course. Perfectly safe. You see I’m going to put our spirit through my magic. It should be ready by the time we have to fight that Necro again.” She said.

  “I know you say it's safe but it’s not like it's under a mutual contract. It was subjugated as it had no will of its own.”

  “Don’t worry. I am made from corruption. Yours messed with his soul, I wouldn’t suggest using it on the other till you have a magic spell for it. If you had twisted his soul any more then you had he might have popped. Allow me to put his mind together and you’ll have a grade two or more spirit in no time.”

  Theodora took Nate’s hand into her own and pulled his shoulder into her bosom. She gave a slight pouty pleading face to him. He wasn’t buying her cutesy act but couldn’t find a reason not to allow her to take the spirit. It was useful just as it was if it became stronger then there were only upsides.

  “Even more than a grade two? If you say its safe then fine. But I will remind you that I won’t accept you ending up hurt.” Nate warned.

  “Ah, uhh, you really don’t have to worry. After all you did I’m sure it will be a grade three. It’s our first spirit together after all.” Theodora cooed.

  She was taken aback by his concern, being spirit he could have treated her however he liked. Most stories she knew of Necromancer made that much very clear. Theodora became self conscious of her closeness to Nate but wasn’t willing to leave his side. Her cheeks flushed a slight red.

  “We just became contracted but I believe in you. I wouldn’t have found my friend without you. I think we’ll need the both of us to get him back. Even beyond that you're precious to me.” Nate said.

  Karah had stopped her practice of four times strength to watch them. She was certain that Nate was unaware that the woman had switched from teasing to flirting. If she didn’t think it would pop him like a bubble she would throw something at him out of spite. She cleared her throat loudly. Garnering Theodora and Nate’s attention.

  “Oh, I shall do as you’ve commanded My Lord.” Theodora said backing up.

  “Just Nate is fine.” He responded.

  “Yes, I know, my lord.”

  She left those words before disappearing into motes of light. He could feel the blood spirit leave the basement and be pulled into Theodora’s room. From there he could feel spirit energy cocoon the spirit within. Now it would just be a matter of time till he gained power.

  Karah came closer as the spells reached their time limit. Coming in close she slapped him on the back. Naturally she held back but it still stung. They shared a look but neither seemed willing to talk about what had happened. Each moved back to their own training.