Arriving in a small clearing in this quiet forest. Felix found it filled with various skeletons of various sizes from tall adults to children a few years old, probably not much more than five. The sight was quite shocking as they all stood surrounded by a large boiling pot with a raging flame below.
At the top a pair of steps, a skeleton stirred it with its empty eye sockets staring inside. Steam was rising while a mixture of pleasant but also stomach turning smell filled the clearing. For the skeleton soon lifted what appeared to be a human arm from the pot before lowering it back down.
'The ones taken are being eaten.' Felix's eyes widened.
Not long after realizing this, he soon saw a thin and gaunt man emerge from the small hut. The man had sunken eyes and a hooked nose as his black robe lightly dragged on the ground. Both hands were held around a small human skull probably from an infant or toddler. All while small bones hung from his necklace and belt.
"Oh, it seems we have a visitor. Maybe a premeal exercise is in order." A raspy voice came from the man.
The man alongside many of the skeletons turned in Felix's direction. The man's dark almost complete pitch black eyes stared at Felix along with a malicious grin. His tongue ran across his cracked lips as he gave an order with the eye sockets from the skull in his hand blazing with green flames.
Nearly all the skeletons around the pot besides the ones keeping the fire going and stirring turned and began to walk towards him. Felix with his Alpha Stigma caught how the man cast the spell and learned this magic too.
This magic didn't seem to be a simple caster or holder type of magic. The magic also seemed to be more foul and negative in nature. It almost didn't seem like magic, but a variant that function similarly but not quite magic.
"I offer up this contract, to bear the wicked spirit beast which sleeps within the earth!"
Felix gave a small chant as he raised his hand. Above him as a series of red magic circles appeared around him, his agility was hugely boosted.
While the skeletons continue to make their way towards him, Felix pulls out a knife and dashed towards the gaunt necromancer. Thanks to the Spirit Beast spell, he covered the distance of nearly one hundred yards in a blink.
"How are you so fast?" The gaunt man cried out in surprise.
Felix used the handle of his knife to jab the man in the stomach, but besides bending down, the man just let out a laugh. A loud and eerie laugh as the rotten smell of death and decay emitted from him.
Dashing away from him, Felix looked at the man once more. He could see the man more haggard look more closely now. He saw his yellow crooked teeth and age spots among his wrinkles. Yet, what frightened him more was the man black robe, it wasn't made of cotton, but human skin with faces stretched out and dyed black.
"You're a monster." Felix said softly.
"No, no. I am not a monster, they sacrificed themselves for a great cause. With their strength, I shall raise and become a legend even greater than Zeref himself." The man laughed. "They will all live on through me and give me strength."
Even with Felix's immense self control and numbness, he still felt a flicker of anger within. It wasn't until he heard this man's delusional words did his magic begin to erupt. Thanks to his immense magic, a wind began to gather as the ground began to creak as it began to sink a bit. All while the gaunt man's eyes widened in terror as Felix's eyes glowed.
In his eyes, a red glow began to emit brightly as two glowing blue pentagrams with various symbols appeared. Yet, Felix tried to reel in his emotions before it was too late and he began to rampage.
"Monster, demon, you're a demon." The man screamed.
The immense magical pressure scared the man as he took a series of steps backwards. Only he tripped and fell down as he tried to crawl backwards. However, Felix didn't care for the man rambling as with the Spirit Beast Spell still going, he dashed forward.
"Ahh!"
A single and heavy strike, Felix used the knife handle and knocked the man out. The man rolled across the ground as despite having his army of skeletons, he wasn't very strong physically. Due to lack of proper training or due to the foul magic he uses that seem incompatible to him. The man was knocked out and the skeletons trembled before falling apart to the ground.
Going over to the pot, Felix quickly poured the nearby water on it and put it out. Then he climbed up the stairs and nearly vomited. Inside the pot, there was an older man who he guessed is or used to be the mayor floating alongside vegetables and other ingredients.
Going over to the down man, Felix gave him another kick, before going towards the cabin and looking around. While Captain Crunch said only the Mayor was noted to be taken, he wanted to make sure there weren't others.
Inside the hut, he found a series of magic books and a book of necromancy. Upon reading the beginning of it, he found that it wasn't magic that is used but a power called Curse. A type of power fueled by negative emotions such as hatred, fear and greed.
After closing the book as he continued his search and upon clearing the house. Found in the kitchen a book written by the guy outside on how to cook humans. By the series of entries, it wouldn't be a wild guess that this guy ate more than the skeletons outside.
'Is he a cannibal that later learned necromancy or a necromancer who later became a cannibal?' Felix thought with a shiver.
--
Felix followed the path out of the forest while dragging the man behind him who was now stripped of his tools and bound by rope. Upon returning to the town, he found Captain Crunch and explained the situation. Where the man vomited just hearing the details.
A few minutes later after regaining his composure, the aging captain grabbed the reward and gave it to him.
"This is the reward promised and we will take the rest from here." Captain Crunch said.
Nodding, Felix turned and left heading back to Magnolia. He should be able to make it before it gets too dark.
--
When he returned to the guild with night falling almost completely. Felix found Makarov closing the guild door.
"Master, mission complete." Felix said.
"Mmm, already?" Makarov nearly jumped in surprise.
If it truly startled him or the old man playing around, Felix didn't know. He just stood there waiting for the next part wondering how he should report it. Does he need to write it or could he just say it verbally.
"How did it go?" Makarov asked. "Were the kidnapped victims ok?"
"They were eaten." Felix replied.
"By a monster?"
"A human."
Makarov froze at hearing this as he really became curious about this mission but also afraid for details. He has experienced a lot in his life, but he didn't want to hear such a spooky story in the darkness of night.
"Write a report detailing the mission and give it to me tomorrow." Makarov coughed to divert a possible nightmare tonight.
"Ok." Felix nodded and vanished into the darkness.