Path of the Necromancer - FACTION WARS

Chapter 2.3 - Ian

"Rose, Eve," He called out to the sisters, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Rose called from the far end, rounding the crumbled remains of Eve's totem.

"I'll live," Eve muttered from behind him, bandaging a long scratch in her forearm.

Ian nodded at her, "Good. Put your group to task and get these wounded on stretchers."

Eve's eyes flared in anger. "Who the fuck do you think you are? You don't tell us what to do!" She snapped.

"Besides, 'Necromancer,'" Rose said with a sneer. "You've got some fucking explaining to do."

It didn't take a PhD to figure out what they wanted 'explaining.' Ian sighed but said nothing. Emotional tensions were running high which he'd expected; this level of hostility was new. They had also been smart enough to 'not' go into his magical status with the threat of blood suckers around every corner. It was that thought and that thought alone that counteracted their current looks.

After a steadying breath; "What of it?

"We didn't sign on to work with a Necromancer." She stated her initial offense.

"Are you seriously complaining about 'how' your lives were saved?" Ian blinked.

"That isn't the point!" The vocals were reaching the point where their echoes argued in the catacombs.

"Enlighten us then." Ember remained outwardly calm. The fire intensifying in her eyes told Ian otherwise.

"You've fucked us over!" Eve spat like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Because of you the Inquisition are going to raid us for sure."

"And you come to that conclusion because...?" He let his countenance harden.

"Are you always this stupid?" Rose mocked, her head moving with her exaggeratedly slowed words. "If even a single leech gets out; then what? You honestly believe they'll keep their mouths shut about what happened down here?"

'You gotta be shitting me.' Ian thought, caught between incredulity and amazement. "You're worried the Bureau will listen to the words of a few maniacal brood members; the very same authorities that sanctioned their execution?"

"No," Rose said in the same manner as explaining one plus one equals two to a small child, "We 'know' the Feds will come busting down our door for consorting with a death walker!"

Grim snorted at the latest 'insult.' Ian just rolled his eyes.

"Don't roll your ey-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Ian barked overtop the haughty bitch. A headache was already building because of this simpering stupidity. "You are so full of shit it's no god-damn wonder you believe it when it pours from your mouth. Care what those on high say? They have a freaking representative in the room!" He flung a finger towards Lily who froze halfway to her feet. "They've known about me for a while now. Certainly, long enough to remove me if it was such a 'big deal.' No, you two are scared shitless that you aren't the toughest Mages in town anymore."

"The only thing you're concerned with," He continued to lambast them with the truth, "Is figuring out a way to ensure you've got me and mine under your thumb. And before you go and insult my intelligence, again, by denying it, consider this; I have eyes and ears everywhere that you knew nothing about until I revealed them - what exactly do you think I overheard from your 'private' conversations?"

"That's some really big claims for someone that doesn't know us." Rose continued to look smug.

"And yet you don't deny it." Ian continued to stare at her with quiescent intensity.