I Was a Teenage Necromancer

Chapter 15-Arise!

The sun crested over the horizon. The new day dawned, cold and bright. Halloween. The final showdown.

"Morning." Amber said, shaking Scott awake. He groaned and rolled over, shielding his eyes form the sun. "Hey, up and at 'em. Don't you have more stuff to take care of?"

"No." he said, not opening his eyes. "I did everything I needed to last night. The rest we can't do 'til we meet with Cross later."

"But, what if the girls are on the move?" she asked worriedly.

"So what? We know their plan." Scott said, yawning. I'd be more surprised if they weren't busy with last minute preparations. They're running two major rituals tonight, the prep for that's gotta be crazy. Besides, they won't start anything until tonight. Full moon on Halloween night? Couldn't ask for better magical conditions, the barrier of reality's at its weakest."

"Yeah, I guess." she said absentmindedly. Scott sat up against his headboard.

"Alright, what's wrong?" Amber tugged on her ponytail.

"Ahh, nothing. Not really." He sighed and patted the bed. She sat down and he looked at her expectantly. "It's just...it's really here. We're really going to move out tonight. And-" She gulped. "We...might have to kill my best friend. My former best friend. I know she deserves it. I know that. I know we have to stop her, no matter what. I know that we'll try not to have any deaths tonight. I know all that. I just wish it hadn't come to this. Why me? Why Stephanie? She's killed so many. She didn't used to be like this. She knew how precious life is. Or at least, I thought she did." She looked out the window, at a robin taking flight from a tree.

"And?" Scott said gently.

"I've been thinking it over all night. What Stephanie did, is doing, is wrong. We have to stop her. I just hope we can stop her before something drastic happens that forces your hand. I...I've found out personally how horrible death is." She looked down at her glowing hands. "I...I don't want her to go through this. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through. And I..." Amber stared helplessly at Scott. "I...don't want you to go through that. Or Detective Cross. Or your parents, or mine, or anyone else." she said quickly, the words pouring from her mouth faster and faster. "I know I can't stop death, it's a natural process. But taking someone before their time, is so...needlessly cruel! How...how could I... how could she..."

"Hey, hey. It's all right. I understand." Scott said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "I know. I think I know better than anyone, even you maybe." he said quietly. "The necrotic energy...I can feel it. I can feel what it means. But I can also feel it when the dead rise again. It feels like...throwing off a sleeping blanket of darkness. That's the closest I can describe it. And it feels good. Like I'm defying what is, in favor of what should be." He scratched the side of his head, blushing lightly. "Heh. This's the first time I've tried to put this in words. But it's no less true for my lack of elocution." Amber chuckled, and so did he. There was a moment of silence after they finished, both waiting for the other to say something first.

"But...what if the worst happens tonight?" she finally said, voicing the question that had been burning in her mind all night. They both knew she wasn't talking about the daemons.

"It's not going to happen. I won't let it. There's a lot that can happen, but I'm not worried about that, because of one reason. Let me let you in on a little secret." He smiled at her; not like in the past, wryly or actually a grin, just a pure, warm, confidant smile.

"No necromancer is scared of death."

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