My Path to Magic 2: A Combat Alchemist Read Free Page A

there was the charred head of a ghoul with teeth of enormous size.  In the darkness of the room I did not notice when the corporal moved closer to me; I realized my mistake too late - when my hands were already cocked behind my back and my turned-out elbows cracked plaintively.  I panicked and tried to throw the offender over my thigh; he hooked me and professionally put me face down on the floor.  This bastard even set his knee on my lower back!
    I sensed I would be beaten...
    " Your work?" The sadist growled in my ear hinting at the ghoul and continued twisting my elbow.
    Should I say no?
    "What were you thinking, eh?  Where was your brain?!"
    At that time I didn't think.  Only later, listening to Ms. Kevinahari's lecture, did I realize how seriously I risked my life decimating the undead without any assistance from other mages.  The problem was that if a mage did not burn the infernal part of a ghoul fast enough after expelling it from its material body-carrier, the undead could start duplicating, and the dark mage would end up with many monsters instead of just one - if suitable carriers were available within the ghoul's reach. For example, my dog Max was converted into a zombie by the former chief of Redstone's "cleaners", who exchanged one big ghoul for a few of a smaller size while fighting, and died, unable to cope with them.  Of course, newly created ghuls were weaker than the original one, but a ghul is still a ghoul , right?
    Perhaps the pause in our conversation became noticeable.  The corporal angrily jabbed my face on the floor one more time and let me go.
    " Were you crazy?! Wanted to be a hero?" he asked.
    Ha! Far from it. Suspecting presence of such creatures on my clients' properties, I either drove off, advising owners to run away, or barricaded myself in their houses till the next dawn when the otherworldly were supposed to disappear or become weaker.  The situation at the farm the corporal referred to was special: I had no other choice but to fight the ghouls .
    " I did not expect the ghouls to be awake in the day time!"
    "What difference does it make?!"
    " It makes quite a difference in the consequences for people!"
    At night time ghouls invade human bodies much more easily, because sleepy people can't resist as strongly as when they are awake.
    The corporal spat on the floor in a fit of temper. "Indeed, a hero! Do you have any idea what a ghoul is capable of if it captures a magician's body?"
    The undead that obtained access to the Source of power?  I didn't want to know it!
    "Do I care if I am dead?" If my body had been invaded by the ghoul , the inhabitants of the farm would have been dead anyway, and the hastily-arriving "cleaners" would have disposed of my corpse along with its infernal part.
    I did not feel guilty. Looking into my shameless eyes, the corporal spat again (what a camel!) and concluded: "You'll be trained separately. And ask Satal to make a 'guardian' for you."
    I nodded earnestly, knowing for sure that I wouldn't pronounce this word in the presence of my dear mentor.  The "guardian" was an amulet given to all the "cleaners" to burn their corpses to ashes if they were killed. The amulet was specifically designed to prevent ghouls from invading bodies with the Source. No, I didn't need it.
    The corporal uttered one more curse and ordered me to get out.  He did not have to repeat.
    I returned to Redstone, thinking that only six months had passed since I signed a five-year contract with NZAMIPS, and my situation worsened by the day.  They did not pay a crown for my work, even for fussing with witch's baldness in Mihandrov.  It was unfair to me.  And folks wonder why dark magicians do not want to go into public service!
    It was time to beat up Quarters.  All my misfortunes befell me when I began working for him. Of course, I don't believe in all those Krauhardian stories about stolen luck, but my troubles started with my work for Biokin…Would I return to my previous luck