Koyuki, the Necromancing Foxkin

CHAPTER 353: An unusual Exam

The final exams were split into a written portion and a practical one. The written part was mostly about rules, regulations and some tactics. Magic was largely a part of the practical exams. The specialisation you picked changed things a little, going for logistics added more math, for example.

My specialisation was necromancy, which I had passed easily. It was not based on one exam, it had been a project you had to complete and I had plenty of undead who qualified. Helena had chosen artillery, which required her to demonstrate some longer range area spells. Skadi was a spellblade, her special exam was about using her runes and close combat, while Cassie had more theoretical portions, since she was in logistics. At least she could show off her alchemy, something she really enjoyed.

Since we were at a military academy the practical exams featured combat. Unlike the first year we were now allowed to use our magic. So I found myself facing Peter, our teacher, with all of my undead being present. Well, all of my tier three. We were outside, standing on the practice area. My training sword was metal but it did not have an edge. Once magic was involved wooden training weapons had their limitations, unless you used some expensive magical wood.

"Koyuki, we might have a problem." Peter stated. "According to the rules a necromancer can use their undead. At the end of the first year we tested your skill with weapons alone but now you are supposed to use all of your powers. With someone like Leo that is fine, he just has a few tier two, but in your case it gets tricky. So we might have to change things a bit for you."

Honestly, I did not know what to expect from the combat exam. We were told that we could use our magic and we had done so in practice. Usually I was focusing on supporting my undead. And there had been a few group fighting exercises where I had been my own group.

"So, should I just use one of my undead?" I asked.

"That is what I would have done but our headmaster decided on something special." Peter said, with an evil grin. "All of you remember, this is just an exam and not real combat."

I was waiting for more of an explanation when Garm growled, then Hatsumi grabbed me and pushed me aside. In the midst of our group I saw blurry movement, an assassin!

I immediately summoned a shield but I had trouble following the invisible attacker. The person was not able to keep themselves completely invisible while they moved but it was hard to track them with my eyes.

"Below!" Garm shouted.

I reacted by focusing my shield on the ground and trying to freeze the dirt. A second later a hand burst through my icy barrier but it slowed the attacker enough that I could evade. While that happened five more people appeared. They wore black leather armour, a black hood and a black mask. The only color on their gear was an emerald decorating their pauldrons. While their armour looked exceptional their weapons looked like my training sword.

My undead engaged the group immediately. Nyx was her full size and attacked the biggest one of them. Her opponent was rather nimble though and seemed to have enough power to even parry her paws.

Kaito unleashed a blast of frostfire which collided with a flame shield. Hatsumi formed her blood claws and clashed with a person wielding dual blades. A person with a cat tail who coated their own weapons in blood as well!

Garm charged the fourth of this curious group while Kasai, Ivy and Yoru took the fifth. That left Rose, who stood beside me.

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"The invisible attacker is still here and someone is using earth magic to hide below!" I said. "Rose, you have some earth affinity as a part of your blood magic, can you do something?"

"Sadly I haven't learned an earth spell yet and I do not smell anything!" She replied.

"Ok, I will keep the ground underneath us frozen as best as I can, you need to stop the invisible attacker. Here, take my sword."

She nodded and accepted the weapon. Meanwhile I focused on my magic. I had learned to infuse my water with necrotic energy, something that might come in handy. I decided to cover the ground with a sheet of ice, then I added a layer of necrotic water and finished it with another sheet of ice. That way I had my trump card hidden and hopefully I had a barrier that could defend against physical and magical attacks.

While I focused on my magic I saw Rose move. She stabbed at the blurry attacker and deflected a blow. Her vampiric sense did not allow her to track the earth mage but I guess the invisible person was easier. She could track them by their scent, hopefully.

I could feel an impact in my shield, but it held! Something had pierced my first layer but the necrotic water had dissolved the spell! I immediately reinforced my shield as the attacks from below intensified. Could I retaliate in some way? Actually, what if I drowned the earth in necrotic water?

Sadly, I had not learned a large scale spell like Helena. She would have been really helpful right now. What I did have was Yoru, my little cat draugr.

"Yoru, I need more water!" I shouted.

The cat disengaged from his opponent and sprinted my way. As he entered the ice ground he stopped running and almost skated on the ice towards me.

"Meow!"

I felt his magic through the link and decided to try something, a joint casting. I did not have a proper spell for my purpose but I could create water and ice shields. What if I filled the area above my ice with necrotic water then dumped it all at once? I had no idea how effective it would be but all I had to do was disrupt the earth magic that allowed the attacker to strike from below.

Meanwhile Rose was still defending me. I noticed that covering the ground in ice was actually helping her. With her water affinity she had an easier time holding her balance than the attacker, which gave her the edge she needed. I guess she could also manipulate my ice to a degree. My other undead held their own but none of them had won their fights either.

It felt like an eternity until I had enough water accumulated for my plan. I was sweating now as I pulled all I could form my core, then I broke the ice and unleashed the water. All attacks from below ceased and I could even hear a surprised yelp. I grinned, while breathing heavily.

Then, I felt pain. I looked at my shoulder in horror, as a small needle was sticking in it.

"Koyuki!" I heard Rose shout. Garm and Nyx roared in rage, Kaito's frostfire intensified…

"ENOUGH."

Everyone froze as Erik Hailstorm spoke. The headmaster looked calm but he had certainly put some power into his voice. "Koyuki is fine, this was only a test. That needle is uncomfortable but the pain will pass shortly. It contains a commonly used toxin that we use to simulate an injury in training. It is something you can get more familiar with next year."

The invisible attacker became visible. "Good fight." The woman said. She must have been the one who threw the needle.

Hatsumi rushed to my side and removed the needle, then she used her blood magic to heal me. Then she stared angrily at the attacker.

"Who are those people?" Kaito asked, his hands still covered in frostfire.

"They are an elite unit of the royal guard. Princess Olivia was kind enough to let us borrow them for this exam. I felt that Koyuki needed a bit of a challenge. Don't worry, she has passed." Erik stated.

"Assassination is the main threat to any necromancer, that is why your test was a bit different. Don't worry, any other necromancy student won't receive the same exam." Peter said.

I looked around and saw Leo watching. He did not look very happy.

"Are you alright?" Hatsumi asked me.

"Yes, it's no big deal. The pain is already gone." I assured her.

"Nice idea with that necrotic water." A new voice said. The man was likely their earth mage. "But it seemed a bit too mana intensive."

The man noticed the death stares from my undead and held up his hands. "Easy, this was just an exam. We could not tell you what it was before or it would have defeated the purpose of an ambush. You did well for a second year."

"What if we had killed you, by accident?" Hatsumi asked.

The man shrugged. "If we lost to a second year and her undead we would not be qualified for our job."

"I monitored the whole fight." Erik said. "Do not worry, I would have intervened if anything had gone too far. Also, I have already seen your written exams. Congratulations on passing your second year, Koyuki."

The headmaster left and the royal guard followed him, after giving us a nod of respect. My undead glared at them. Personally I was not mad, I was just happy that I had passed the second year. Hopefully my friends had an easier time with their exams.