Few weeks passed, since Dezen started exploring the forest with his undead. The wolf and vankers, with some help, managed to kill many animals during this time, and some of them Dezen turned into undead. The rest he frozed and kept for the future, when he will have higher mana production.
Dezen also bought 9 human corpses, which he turned into undead and used to oversee these undead who are exploring the forest. His first 3 human undead, unlike the new ones, were doing for him researches, test and creating spells, so Dezen could focus on cultivating in peace. And surprisingly, thanks to it, he discovered something.
Dezen knew that in the future, he may want to, or need to use his undead as false humans, working for him as spies. Thus, he had to make sure his undead can act like normal humans, part of it being eating. As a part of the test, one of his human undead ate small apple, to see if he can digest it. He could, so the undead ate fruis, to see if its body will still act normal. Since Dezen was cultivating during this time, so he noticed that mana consumption of this undead became lower. Knowing about that test, he connected the dots, realizing that feeding undead would let him keep more of them. However, the effectiveness was too little for Dezen to consider using it, so he didn't think about it too much, and didn't even mention it to the Church of Alen.
As for now, the only use of it, was eating corpses of animals he didn't want to turn into undead, but wanted to get rid of, to prevent sicknesses from spreading, at the same time saving some mana.
Instead of exploring other places, Church told him to keep patrolling the forest around his village, and inform them about any abnormalities. Dezen was happy with this, because they paid him for every week, and he could still extend the area, when he gets enough undead.
Now, Dezen was saving to buy mind magic enchanted item, that will help him cultivate, since the mind magic itself is still too expensive for him to buy.
***
Lying on his bed and cultivating, Dezen got message with new assignment. Quickly, he left the house, helping himself with the space magic.
Under the gaze of the mage currently guarding the village, he entered the church, and greeted with Darren, who was already waiting. He took Dezen to one of the Church of Alen fortresses, one that he was unfamiliar with.
They both appeared in a giant room, with many stone tables and gates. The tables had many formations and enchanted items on them, alng with 1 corpse on each of them.
The corpses belonged to creatures unknown Dezen, all of them looking like they were partly dissolved. With Darren, he approached one of the tables, next to which an old woman was waiting for them.
- Greetings.
- Greetings.
- Welcome. This is one of the creatures we want you to turn into undead. Since it is from one of the Replacements, we will not be surprised, nor disappointed, if you fail. If you succeed, the award will be higher.
Unsure how to reply, Dezen said.
- I understand. Shall we start now?
- Yes. You can turn into undead whatever creature you like, there is no order you need to follow.
Dezen nodded, and started with the creature lying next to the woman. Green fire covered it for a few seconds but nothing happened. The woman looked at the corse, then at Dezen and casted mind magic spell.
- Try improving that spell.
Dezen listened, and with surprise, he found out that the process became extremely easy for him.
He improved the spell, and then tried again, but still failed. Then again, and again, for the next 7 hours.
The woman sighed, and stopped Dezen from making the next attempt.
- Continuing this is pointless. What you create to fix its body is just an imitation of the real one. You also cannot stop the process of destruction, or whatever it is called. Now, that we emded, I will give you the payment. The first, knowledge about brain, and how to improve them with body magic.
Waving her hand, she send white mass of energy at Dezen, which contained what she said.
- Now, improving your brain and mind. Before I do this, remember that you should limit yourself. It is hard to explain, but the mind is made by both the soul and the body. While the body and mind itself gets improved, soul remains the same, creating limits. Unluckily, we cannot feel when we wre close to them, what causes us to suddenly become overwhelmed or tired. With years, you will get used to this, and the limits will increased a little. Cultivating can help your soul regenerate a little.
Dezen remained silent, snd the woman began. He soon lost his consciousness, so he couldn't tell how it felt.
After awakening, Dezen spend a while getting used to his new spell. Then, unsure, he asked.
- Could I ask you for any advices how to limit myself? What should I do, and what I should not?
- Remember about making breaks and make them happen often. They can be short. Overall effects will still be better than before these improvements. When you get mind magic, get, or create by yourself spells that will relax you, they make breaks more effective. If there is no risk of death, or it is something really, really important, do not push yourself beyond your limits. It can hurt your soul if you do it for too long.
- Thank you. - He bowed a little, as a sing of being graceful. Then, he approached Darren, who took him back to his village.
***
During the next few days, Dezen was getting used to living with his mind improved. He also spent less time on cultivating, wanting to make his undead smarter. It succeeded, unlike his attempts to create spell, turning dead matter into undead.
For a reason unknown to him, he couldn't use the spell. It wasn't the spell structure, which he improved many times, and couldn't find any flaws. For him, the spell just didn't work despite casting and that's it. Even if it was flawed, or it was made from spells parts randomly connected together, there would be some effect.
Not knowing what to do, he informed the Church of Alen about this.
Darren was surprised when Dezen told about this, but still took him to one of the fortresses, where he waited for informations about such situations.
Darren didn't come back. Instead he got surrounded by light, then by darkness and at the end water filled the space in which he was, but he could still breath freely.
Without any panic Dezen waited, and soon, tall, slim man approached him, creating around them bubble of air.
- I am bishop Brian.
- Bishop! - Surprised, Dezen bowed quickly.
- You may be surprised that there is more than 1 bishop in this fortress, but it is like a rank in the army, and we need many strong mages to secure our strongholds and people. I am here because what you experienced - being unable to cast spell, means your magic is "special". That is how we call it most of the time, but the name "hidden magic" can also be used.
Brian created 2 chairs from shadows, on which they sat down.
- Special magics are magics of which full abilities are not available from the begging of having them. As far as we know, when you reach their true potential, your power increases enormously. It can be said that the diffrence between before, and after unlocking them, is the same as the diffrence between normal human and someone who is a mage for a year. Unluckily, you are unable to really imagine that power, so I will not be describing it further. My task is to tell you the known way, to unlock special magic real abilities.
Fire exploded from him, and filled the whole bubble, adding the next layer of the defence.
- You have to understand necromancy more, creating crucial spells of that magic. Then is something we call "mana change". As the name suggests, you have to change the mana of special magic. This process can take place without any difficulties, or you have to experience the same events which may lead to becoming a mage. We do not know what causes which situation, but you will be able to buy a list of the situations, possibly leading to becoming a mage.
Dezen wasn't sure if Brian will say something else, so he waited 3 seconds, before standing up and saying.
- Thank you. - Dezen bowed a little, as a sing of respect, not gratitude, since it was Brian's work as he said. - The other special magics, are there many of them?
- I cannot tell you, since you are not member of the Church, and it is a sensitive information about our strength. Furthermore, I do not know what you would consider as "many" special magics.
- I understand.
- Do not mention this day to Darren. His memories were erased and replaced to keep special magics existence as a secret.
- You... - Dezen got scared, but quickly calmed down, believing that the Church of Alen wouldn't do something he considers evil with such a spells.
- Do not worry, we have not used it on you. Replacing memories is our way to keep secrets safe, and we do not useit for different purposes. And Church members are aware it can happen, agreeing on this before joining.