The misadventures of the necromancer

Saca looks around at the tense, worried faces of her companions, and she understands perfectly what they are feeling.

They have just returned to the house Nero wanted to explore, expecting to find a giant treasure, only to discover an empty room.

She sits down on a stone and plays with Delmic, trying to entertain and distract her little brother, since the last thing anyone wants right now is to deal with a crying baby. Fortunately, the shock Delmic received when the “dog” began to grow still lingers, and he remains relatively calm.

The same cannot be said of Sena, who keeps looking around as if she cannot understand what they have just witnessed. She also keeps casting tense glances at the boys, perhaps thinking they should have stayed with Nero.

But if there is one thing the boys are, it is obedient to Nero. So when the necromancer gave the order, they followed it.

Perhaps Sena’s reaction comes from a sense of guilt, Saca thinks to herself. After all, as far as she understands, the only reason Nero had to deal with that creature is that Saca and Sena wandered off and went for a walk with what they thought was a dog.

She herself feels guilty and worried about what happened, especially considering that the only reason she and her brother are still alive is because of the necromancer’s help.

But she cannot allow herself to fall apart—she is all Delmic has left, she thinks, looking at her brother.

Especially considering what might still happen, she thinks again as she looks at the mule standing at the entrance of the house, still absurdly loaded with everything they own.

But the undead creature probably does not care about a burden that would cripple any living animal in a short time.

Since they had joined the group, they—or at least she—had never thought much about the undead mule. Yes, of course, she was aware of its true nature, and that was worrying. But the animal kept some distance from the group, and whenever she was nearby, she was always accompanied by at least one of the boys.

So she had not worried too much about it. Honestly, considering everything she had been through and the fact that she was now caring for Delmic, the mule simply had not mattered.

Now, however, it did.

At any given moment, someone was always watching the undead creature, waiting to see whether the magic animating it would vanish or not.

Because, as the necromancer had warned them and the boys had confirmed, that would mean he could no longer sustain the spell that held his creation together. Which would mean he likely had died in the temple where they had led him.

And then they would have to leave as quickly as possible—without their powerful protector.

Only Seres seems to be handling the situation well, repeatedly affirming his complete confidence that Nero will overcome this.

“It’ll be just like last time, at the Temple of the Divine Trials.”

When she had asked whether the other servant of the gods back then had been similar to this one—a question she can hardly believe she is even asking—Seres had begun recounting how they had entered a temple with what appeared to be Medishe.

That is another thing she finds hard to truly understand: how can there be people who speak of the gods like this?

But regardless, as Seres continues telling the story, he keeps reiterating that this time Nero will have no problems either. And on those occasions, he speaks to Adar, prompting him to back him up.

Which the other boy does, but every time he joins Seres vocally, his eyes drift to the mule, as if expecting the inevitable.

That is when the mule suddenly moves, turning toward the road in the direction of the temple they came from.

For a moment, everyone freezes. Amid the tension, no one had taken their eyes off the creature, and the sudden movement almost made her think this was the moment Nero’s warning would come true.

But with a relief that Saca can hardly believe she is feeling—for an undead creature—the animal appears to be in good condition.

Adar, who is closest to it, approaches the creature and looks in the same direction as the mule.

“Someone’s coming,” he says, his tone incredulous.

Her heart starts racing, and the nervousness—or simply her movement—makes Delmic restless in her arms.

Even so, she stands up and follows Sena, who, with Seres at her side, goes to join Adar.

And so, outside, all of them can see a figure slowly walking up the road toward them. His clothes are in worse condition than usual, as if he had been rolling around on the ground, and one hand is pressed to his side, apparently rubbing his ribs.

But, to what must be a universal relief, Nero is coming.

And she feels able to breathe in a way she has not been able to since they left the temple.

“See! I told you there wouldn’t be any problems,” says a cheerful, smug Seres, a comment met with smiles from everyone, even from his grumpier friend Adar.

Adar puts an arm around the blond boy’s shoulder and proclaims, “Yes, yes. Seres, you were completely right. But my friend, no one doubted you.”

The shameless lie only makes Seres nod and say, “And you were very right to do so,” without her being able to tell whether he is just easing the mood or actually believes what he heard.

In the middle of the light conversation, Saca notices the strange expression on Sena’s face as she looks at the two boys with what Saca can only describe as suspicion—a look she recognizes, because she herself had received it several times before, especially when she had first arrived among the Clue, disrupting Sena’s life.

“What the hell are you doing there?” asks Nero’s tired voice as he finally comes close enough to be heard.

“Nero… yes, what happened?” Seres asks as the boys rush toward him.

“A conversation. A small conversation that went about as well as one could hope,” the necromancer replies, continuing to walk as if nothing had happened, his voice somewhat cold.

Looking at him and noticing his state, Adar asks, “Did you have to fight him?”

That makes Nero stop and stare at the dark-haired boy with his mouth open, as if astonished by the question.

“Do you think I’d still be in one piece if that had happened?” He starts shaking his head, as if trying to banish the idea. “Nah, he just gave me a little shove… almost friendly…”

With a cold look, he scans all of them and concludes, “Too bad the ground wasn’t as kind. When I hit it, I must’ve broken one or two ribs.”

Everyone falls silent, unsure how to respond. Until now, the necromancer had seemed invincible. In her mind, she hears Sena telling her how Nero had saved her by grabbing a sword blade without being injured.

But quickly, Saca thinks that at least he is alive.

With the extermination of her clan, Saca has learned to try to see things from a more positive perspective. Such as the fact that she has formed a friendship with Sena and that she and her brother are alive.

Something that had come very close to not happening at all.

It’s obvious that, in the state he’s in, he needs help, and she’s the first to react, turning to Sena.

“Quick, give him the potion.”

Sena is the one carrying the potion that the boys had given them in case they needed to give it to Delmic, and she reaches into the pouch where she keeps it.

The boys, meanwhile, stare at them as if they don’t quite understand what they just heard. But when Sena starts approaching while rummaging through the pouch, Nero removes the hand he had pressed to his chest and stretches it out toward her, signaling her to stop.

“There’s no need. I’ve already taken care of it,” he declares, to their confusion.

This prompts Sena to voice the same thought Saca is having.

“How!?”

Nero calmly points at himself and says, “Mage.”

With that, they realize that the necromancer has the ability to heal himself—something they hadn’t known before.

“Then why were you holding your ribs?” Sena asks, making a very fair point.

“That damn spell makes the injuries hurt while it repairs them. That’s why I’m fairly sure I broke something—judging by the pain I felt. But in the end, it’s more the lingering sensation than anything else,” he explains, placing his hand back where the pain had been.

She almost feels compelled to comment that the spell really does seem awful. Why would he use it when he has access to potions?

But Adar speaks before she can.

“What do we do now?”

Nero turns to him.

“Considering we haven’t rested since we arrived in this wretched city, I think it’s best we get something to eat and rest a bit.”

Facing the silence, he continues after letting out a heavy sigh.

“If you’re talking about our new ‘friends’—as far as they’re concerned, we do nothing.”

He starts shaking his head as he speaks.

“In all likelihood, it’ll take them some time before they show themselves again. It’s not that easy for them.”

And pausing his eyes on Sena, he adds, “You won’t be able to find, whenever you want, a temple with worshippers of that deity around every corner,” which makes Sena stare at the ground, looking embarrassed.

“Isn’t that where worshippers of the gods usually are?” Adar comments, in her opinion, wisely.

Nero, for his part, looks at him and replies, “And do you think I’m going to hang around near those temples…? Only if I have absolutely no alternative. Which just confirms what I said.”

The answer makes Adar nod his head in agreement.

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