Eirin wakes up in the middle of a storm next to her own corpse. In front of her is the masked necromancer who has revived her and whom she must obey, even against her own will.
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This is a short fantasy nouvelle, perfect for those readers who are...
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There are few noticeable signs of the passage of time in my surroundings. The forest is so dense that it remains in near-complete darkness at all times. The absence of animals and insects also makes it difficult to gauge the hours passing. The only indication of time's progression is the exhaustion evident in the necromancer, a clear sign of our prolonged journey through the undergrowth.
"We should find a place to sleep," I suggest.
"No. The sooner we reach our destination, the better," he insists, agitated.
"Tell me, master, what time do you think it is?"
"Late," he says.
"How long have we been walking?"
"Almost ten hours, Eirin," he replies, resting one hand on a nearby tree trunk for support as he navigates a large root. "If we continue at this pace, we can reach Therro in less than three days."
"At the cost of your health? Or your life?" I raise an eyebrow. "Please stop. Rest for a while. You are a human being, after all. You need it."
The necromancer's hair clings to his head from the sweat and his movements become increasingly clumsy. His arms and legs likely ache. "Let's go a little further."
"I'll stand guard. I don't need to rest. You, on the other hand, seem to be about to faint," I say, halting in my place. "Taking care of your body is essential to achieve any goal. You won't be able to achieve anything if you die from exhaustion here."
The necromancer chuckles at my audacious comment, acknowledging the unspoken hierarchy between us. Despite being the leader, he knows of my experience and wisdom. To my surprise, he agrees to rest for a couple of hours, emphasizing the temporary nature of the break.
As we settle, he questions why I never call him by his name.
"Because I don't know which one it is, necromancer," I emphasize.
"I told you," he lies.
"No. You just gave me a nickname."
After a brief exchange, he starts contemplating the unfairness of the situation, acknowledging the imbalance in our relationship. I respond with sarcasm, thanking him for robbing me of freedom and using me like a tool.
"Thank you, master, for not giving me a choice. Thank you for interrupting my rest. For forcing me to use a body that doesn't belong to me. For making me follow a stranger's orders. For taking away any iota of freedom from me. Thank you for bringing me here just to use me like a toy and then let me die again," I say, ironically.
"Is that how you feel?"
"What do you think, necromancer?"
He looks away, thoughtful. I don't know if he's considering trusting me with his secrets or questioning the morality of his actions. "I think that what you demand of me is the same thing that I demand of the world," he says. "Should I be grateful for being born? For not having freedom at any time? It wasn't my choice to have these powers or to be hunted."
Our conversation turns to the unjust stigma against magic users, and the necromancer challenges my beliefs about sorcery being a crime. He questions the logic behind condemning all magic users based on the actions of a few. The dialogue prompts me to question my past actions as well until I feel remorse.
"I'm sorry," I murmur.
Instead of dwelling on my apology, the necromancer shifts the topic to the present and how dense this forest is. He acknowledges the toll of our journey on his feet and suggests it's finally time to rest.
"I have questions," I state as soon as we stop.
"I know, Eirin," he interrupts.
"Will you answer them?"
"Maybe, when it's all over."
"And if you don't achieve your goal?" I insist.
He falls silent, indicating his imminent sleep due to exhaustion. I take the opportunity to ask about our current location, the year, the events in the kingdom since my death, and more.
"We are on the borders of the kingdom of Garel and the Ufran empire," he explains. "There are tensions between both governments, so I doubt that the Grand duke's envoys would look for me here." He goes on to share some details about the events post my death, leaving certain questions unanswered.
"Sometimes you treat me distantly and as if I were your slave. Other times you are like a good friend. I don't understand you," I express.
"You shouldn't understand me, just obey me and trust me. Now, Eirin, let me sleep for a while. Wake me up in about four hours. And keep a close eye on the forest. I have had a bad feeling since we left Grefo's cave. I think they are following us."
"I know. They mostcertainly are".
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