I wanted to become a necromancer, so I sold my heart to a crow

Anoir lay staring at the bench on which he'd made a strange deal with a raven. His body was now undergoing biological changes on an unsuspected scale: he felt nothing, thought of nothing, became emptier and colder inside than he had ever felt before. In this world governed largely by magic, even airplane engines were powered by it. Anoir had swallowed entire books to unravel the theoretical capabilities of practical magic, as well as their possibilities. His many courses in magic theory in high school had taught him the rigor of mind required to create a new spell, but he hadn't made many friends because of the melancholy he constantly expressed, which irritated some of his teachers. In 20 days' time, he would come of age and leave the family home, as his father had told him. His father had told him that his mother had agreed, although in reality, this was not the case. For Louniane, her sons were her protégés, but Charles's wealth and authority were no match for her fragile, loving constitution. And so, in the early hours of the morning, Anoir slowly regained consciousness in the park he'd frequented since he was 10.

I feel....Bizarre. It's like after my chess boxing match against that southern kingpin, I feel like I've been through a tumble dryer.

Straightening up slowly, then by reflex, I glance at my watch. 6:32.

"What the hell happened?" I hurt all over. My body was shaking, I must have caught a cold during the night in the park. Then I gradually remembered the previous events, and put my hand against my chest: no heartbeat. I took my pulse on my wrist, thinking it was a mistake on my part, but no, it's real, I'm breathing and feeling without my heart beating in my chest....But.... Do I still have a heart? 

That raven told me he'd devour it... Then... I fainted. I feel like I'm forgetting something, I think he really did talk to me, but I can't remember clearly what we said. It's all so blurry in my head.

The black lake in front of me, on the other hand, hadn't changed, and the fish continued to come and go as usual.

I got up from the bench in a daze and made my way to the exit. However, I had forgotten something....

" You, come here". 

" Yeah, come closer, we've got something to tell you".

Three young adults, who were hidden by a bush, appeared and approached me. They were guarding the exit. Their eyes were glassy, and one of them had a bottle of cheap wine in his right hand. 

" Have you seen our cousin?" Said the taller one.

" Yeah, he got attacked last time, and we're going to do the same to you if you don't give us everything you've got right now!" Continued the smaller one, using his dominant hand to form an incantation I knew in theory, "Bronze Lianes".

" Er... No sorry, I'm expected, I've got to go... Can you let me through?" Fear paralyzed my leg muscles, and I was unable to run in the face of the menace showing its fangs.

" Kiid, didn't you hear me? Give it all you've got". It was the third one who spoke this time.

In an instant, he formed an incantation and a wooden bat appeared in his hands, striking the air, as if to warm his muscles.

My blood ran cold, but I didn't feel the usual stress-related fatigue; I could feel my mind sharpening.

" Right, that's it for you, we're going to collect your things after we've beaten the shit out of you, aren't we Zlarvi?"

One of them grabbed my shoulder, the other threw his bat at my legs violently, and the last one held me back from falling by the back.

My mind screamed for help, but I couldn't physically scream.

The next moment, in the corner of my vision, an obscure cloud was rapidly closing in, only to reform in front of me. Like mist, it appeared around me, thick and deeply black.

" What the hell! Mike, didn't you neutralize his magic with the vines?"

" Yes, I did. Look, his arms bear my temporary mark".

A monster the likes of which I'd never seen before, sliced off the arm of the man holding my shoulder. Then he crunched the throat of the one holding my back, and finally, with his mace, crushed the leg of the one called Mike. A vision of a book came back to me in a flash: it was a flesh-eater, similar to the werewolf, but weaker and more agile.

My feet were soaking in a pool of blood. When my mind calmed despite the creature's fear of attacking me, it disappeared into the mist, which in turn dissipated. And I felt an immense fatigue overcome me. As if someone had tied an anvil to my feet.

I ran. As hard as I'd ever run, straight ahead, towards my family home. I was scared, very scared, my black shirt and suspenders soaked with blood. The blood of those guys. 

I knew I was in trouble, serious trouble. But my new-found composure took over. I took out my keys, my hands trembling at times, inserted them in the lock, slammed the door and leaned against the floor in the hallway doorway. What the hell happened?

Discreetly, I went to the bathroom, took off my clothes and threw them into the garbage bag I'd picked up in the kitchen. I set the temperature to very hot, and the dried blood rushed into the bathtub pipes. The water seemed frozen, even icy cold, but whatever it was, it was probably stress.

Suddenly, as I finished my shower, a crow's caw reached my ears.