The Black Necromancer

"Wait, wait." Megan stopped Leon. "This isn't the right place to talk about it. I have a business to run." She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her apron.

"You're right. I'll help out. We can talk during your break time." Leon nodded his head. He looked around and saw an apron hanging at the side. He walked over and put in on, under the incredulous gazes of Megan and James.

"I thought ghosts couldn't touch stuff in the material realm." James asked with wide eyes.

"I told you I wasn't a ghost, haha." Leon chuckled. "Now, let's get to work." He dispelled the wind barrier and picked up a tray. "What table is this?"

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"Can you tell me a bit more about my son?" Eugene asked Kaladin who looked to be the leader of Leon's three followers from his perspective.

"You claim to be my Master's father, yet never have I seen you. Not once when he was weak, until now. Are you a freeloader?" Kaladin leaned in close, looking Eugene straight in the eyes.

Immediately, Eugene felt a flush of shame run through his chest. He was never there for Leon. Kaladin was right, was he not only just arriving now? And from what he said, it seemed Leon had made a name for himself somewhere.

'Maybe he is a bigshot overseas. And he also seems to be much stronger than myself.' Eugene thought to himself.

"I... I do not want to insert myself into his life as a freeloader. I want to try to be his father, his friend. I know I have missed out on a lot. I was not there for him when he needed me the most. But I want to be here now." Eugene said.

"I see... Well, I can tell you a bit about the Master." Kaladin nodded and picked up the cup of coffee in front of him. He gave it a stare before sipping it and instantly scowling. "What nonsense is this? How do people enjoy this?" He asked, forgetting that it was not his drink.

"Ahem." Nero nudged Kaladin.

"Oh, yes, the Master..." Kaladin looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "He is a ruthless warrior, an excellent mage, but most of all, an inspiring leader. He is ruthless and unforgiving to enemies, and kind to his allies. The worst thing you can do is to cross him. Only once has he ever forgiven a man who once crossed him. Even I was confused when he forgave that man. If it was me, I would have killed him." Kaladin said with a small but scary voice. Eugene's eyes shrunk and trembled under that phantom pressure.

"Kaladin, you are scaring him." Grokus leaned over the table and pushed Kaladin's shoulder.

"Oh." Kaladin looked unapologetic and simply picked up the cup of coffee to have another sip. His face crumpled again, but he didn't complain.

"Who are you all, then? Why did you start following my son? And why do you call him 'master'? Usually, gang heads are called Bosses." Eugene asked.

"We are not part of a gang." Nero grunted. His red eyed looked up at Eugene as he took a big bite out of a burger. "We serve the master as his loyal servants. Ever since he raised us, we have been sworn to him, and we will see our duty through until the end."

"What?" Eugene was even more confused.

"The two of you... Stop it. You are scaring him even more." Grokus spoke up again. He sighed. Out of the three of them, he was the one that had the clearest head most of the time. While his loyalty toward Leon was undeniable, he had lived a life of his own before being converted to Leon's summon, so he possessed the perspective of an outsider.

"Your son is strong. From what I heard, you were absent through his life. Let me tell you now... Eugene, if you had been in your son's life, then he would have never turned out to be the great man he is today. I was an enemy of his once. Now, look at me, one of his most loyal servants." Grokus sighed.

"I-I see... It seems like I have a lot to learn." Eugene smiled. He looked up as the doors to the kitchen opened and Leon came out with a wide smile and an apron. He was holding a tray in his hand. Behind him was Megan, the owner of the diner. The two of them were chatting enthusiastically. "He seems happy."

"He is optimistic most of the time. Speaking frankly, he should have died long ago. But his optimism seems to be a lucky charm."

Most of the day was spent like that. Eugene asked random questions while one of Leon's three summons answered. At some point, Michael left, disappearing without anyone noticing.

"By the way, there is something I wanted to ask." Eugene suddenly remembered something. "I have heard you mention something about 'worlds' several times now, and I am curious. What do you mean?"

"Oh, that? We are not from this world. It is as simple as that." Nero grunted.

Smack!

Kaladin smacked the back of Nero's head. "You idiot! Do you know if we were supposed to reveal that information?!"

Eugene was surprised. He was too shocked by what he heard to even listen to the two people arguing. It was at that time that Leon suddenly appeared.

"What are you two arguing about?" He asked. He was no longer wearing an apron. The diner was also empty, as they were about to close for the day.

"Nero told Eugene about us not being from Earth." Kaladin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh..." Leon pursed his lips and turned to his father. "I was going to tell you, but not now. Anyhow, since the cat is out of the bag, I guess there isn't much to hide anymore." Leon smiled. As his smiled his body moved, and his skin and flesh melted away. "I am not a human anymore."

"...What?"

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"Michael of Datar, you have come again. Are you done with your business on Earth?" The Nexus being took form as Michael approached it in the Void.

"Not yet. You gave us seven days, and only two have passed. We still have a while left." Michael replied. His body glimmered with his Divinity as he stayed in his true form.

"Indeed. I can tell that you did not come here to tell me that you are ready to return to Datar. You want to take others with you, don't you?" The Nexus being asked.

"Yes, I do." Michael nodded. "I am prepared to pay the necessary price."

"You are determined. When you are so close to breaking through the cocoon of a Minor God, I can understand your desperation... You have my permission. You may take them." The Nexus being said after a small pause.

"Just like that? No price I must pay?" Michael was taken aback.

"...I am quite interested in that boy, Leon. His path is an interesting one. You have made him absorb several shards of the Paragon of Undeath, and he has taken notice. I want to see how all this will play out. The chessboard has been set. But you are in the middle of transitioning from a piece to a player. How far will you go?" The Nexus being spoke boldly as its voice began to fade, showing that Michael was free to leave.

"Thank you." Michael bowed slightly before vanishing and returning to Earth. He appeared in the alley beside Megan's Diner. With a sigh, he looked around. This side of the diner was where the backdoor to the kitchen was located.

"W-who are you?"

Michael turned around and saw the brown haired boy that walked in the diner stumbling. The boy had been throwing away some garbage when Michael appeared.

"..." Michael sighed and snapped his fingers, erasing that part of the boy's memory before walking out of the alley. "So many eyes focused on Datar. I'm afraid the looming danger is even closer than before. Did Fazir make a mistake? Or was his prediction inaccurate? I need more power, and to get that, I need more powerful followers. Talented followers. The more the better." Michael's eyes glinted. He knew what he would spend the remaining five days on this world doing.