Pieces of Sonder

“But it’s been done before, right?”

Prince Toychi’s spirit floated closer to Hamra. He continued, “Please make a contract with me. I want to find out what happened. I can’t seem to move far from here, but I want to investigate the mayor’s home. I want to know why things got this bad.”

Hamra shook her head, backing away from the figure.  She grasped her cloak. The prince stopped his pursuit but continued to plead, “Please, I cannot rest until I know how this happened.”

Scrimmancer moved to stand between them. The spirit could have easily floated through him, but he stopped himself.

“It’s not good for either party to make a summoning contract with a human,” Scrimmancer said to the prince. “I’m also a necromancer, well- more of an apprentice, but even I can tell you it’s not a good idea.”

Freya curiously awaited his explanation. She didn’t realize all the spirits she’d seen Hamra and Scrimmancer summon were actually under some kind of “contract.” Previously she heard Scrimmancer explain they were looking for spirits to make contracts with, but Freya thought it was some kind of semantic difference. Like how she said “spirit” while they called them “ghosts.” But it seemed this “contract” was something completely different.

“First of all, it’s kind of like slavery. But even putting that issue aside, people do not have a stable soul compatible with making a contract. The ghost will eventually lose all reason and go out of control. It happens more often with certain types of animals, but it’s extremely likely with human ghosts. From what I’ve heard, every time in history a human spirit was contracted, it ended in the creation of a demonic person.”

“A demon is created!?” Freya exclaimed.

“Well, I don’t know if it’s technically a demon, but it’s some kind of evil creature that starts targetting people. Actually, they usually try to kill people they knew in their past life.”

“That’s why it’s forbidden,” Hamra broke in. “Necromancers have long had a rule that we cannot make contracts with human ghosts, but many have broken it. It’s why there are few necromancers left today.”

Oh... Freya thought to herself. Silence fell as everyone else also put the implications together.

Still, Prince Toychi’s ghost crossed his arms. After a few moments of thinking, he said, “Then, can’t you dismiss the contract just before that happens?”

Hamra shook her head, “I’m not taking the risk.”

The spirit looked to Scrimmancer. The man held up his hands, “Sorry, my level- I mean, I’m not skilled enough yet to make a contract with you. Even if I could, I’m not sure I would.”

Next, the prince’s eyes fell to Freya and Nightscythe, the only others that appeared able to see him.

“We’re not necromancers,” Freya answered before he could ask. “But we want to help you fulfill your wish to find out what happened here.”

Prince Toychi’s spirit flared in discontent but settled down. Freya could understand his frustration in not being able to have a hand in achieving his wish. He could only rely on them to fulfill it for him.  

“You mentioned wanting to explore the mayor’s home. Why?” Freya asked.

The energy around the spirit once again intensified.

“I want to know what Mayor Yusuf was doing. His reports to the crown never indicated a problem with the Port District. I want to know if he was innocently ignorant or if he was knowingly negligent.”

“We can investigate that. Although, I’m not sure how much evidence will be left by now. Do you think we should search anywhere else? What about the resident shaman’s residence?”

The thought was still uncomfortable to voice, but Freya knew it needed to be said.

“Yes, they should also be investigated.” 

Heilong bumped Freya’s arm, “Ask if he knows where the shaman lived, it will save us time.”

Freya repeated the question, although the prince had likely already heard it.

“There were three shamans responsible for the Port District. I believe they all lived next to the mayor’s residence,” the prince pointed inland to a small hill. “That’s where the mayor lived.”

“Thank you. We will do our best to get to the bottom of this and let you know how this happened.”

The prince gave a small nod. He looked longingly towards the mayor’s residence. Freya was a little surprised he couldn’t go to the hill himself. If his wish was to learn how this disaster happened, it was odd he couldn’t summon the desire to move from his resting place. She knew of other spirits that could move hundreds of kilometers to fulfill their last regrets. Typically, the stronger a spirit’s desire, the more powerful they were. Was his desire not strong enough? Or was he unconsciously avoiding finding out a horrible truth?