Awakenings
Chyemme's POV
I opened my eyes and instantly wished I hadn't. The light, dim as it was, exploded in front of my eyes and so did the pain. I was seeing stars that had nothing to do with inner sight. I sat up, putting my head in my hands. Where was I? What happened? I cringed as I glanced around carefully, my hand over my eyes. I was sitting on a mattress on the floor, in a small room covered by thick straw thatching. The room was bare save for a small table beside me to the right. It was between me and another mattress across from me. On it laid the man with pure white hair, the necromancer.
Apparently, he lay sleeping, though he had been thoroughly cleaned up by someone. The ratty robe was gone and his chest was bare save for the many dressings. I could see that blood had already soaked through some of them. Good lord, what had this man gone through? I was amazed that he was still alive.
On a brighter note, I realized that his breathing had improved dramatically as had his color. His skin was still a pale color, but looking him over, I realized that was his natural complexion. And as a positive, he was moving. He was tossing restlessly around in his sleep. However, sweat was dripping from his forehead. It looked like he had a fever, but even that was a step up from the way he had been.
Inexplicably, I put my feet on the ground and shakily made my way over to him. I put my hand on his brow, feeling the incredible heat. He was definitely sick; my guess was from the infected wounds. He murmured something illegible, and he wrenched himself away from me, twisted in pain. I felt sorry for him. I took the edge of the sheet and began wiping the sweat from his forehead. It was strange seeing him up close all clean. I smiled, though the expression he wore was sour, he had the most angelic-looking face. He was quite frankly, handsome. I leaned in to get better look and to listen to his breath.
It was that instant that he opened the deepest emerald green eyes I had ever seen and locked them on me. Startled, I had time to squeak before I was roughly seized around the throat as he suddenly shot bolt upright. He started squeezing unbelievably tight.
"What the hell?!" he growled his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Let go!" I managed to choke out. "Now!" I grabbed the inside of his wrist and squeezed, though I didn't have to exert much pressure because he had a bandage there and I must have hit a wound. He abruptly relented his attack on me and grabbed his arm in pain. He looked at it, then at me.
"Who the hell are you!? And where am I!?" he snarled.
"My name is Chyemme. I found you in the forest up on a riverbank. You'd washed up there I guess. As far as I know, we're on the Amazonian isle of Skovas," I answered.
"Skovas?" he grunted. "How the hell--Trag Oul damn it!" he swore loudly and got up, trying to kick at the bed. He swayed dangerously, so I hastily pulled my arm around his shoulders and hoisted him up. He didn't like that at all, he nimbly pulled out from under me grabbing my arm in a vice grip like he had done to my throat. He was surprisingly strong for someone who was so slender and so ill.
"Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me!" he hissed and torked my hand sending pain shooting up my arm.
I twisted out of his grip. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped, "I was only trying to help you."
"I don't need help, especially from someone stupid enough to not know where they are," he spat.
"Yes, you do," I emphasized. "You're really sick right now, you can barely stand. And if it weren't for me you wouldn't be here at all!" I insisted.
He quickly backed away from me. "You're telling me that you saved my life? Not likely," he huffed.
"Why wouldn't you believe me? It's true," I added.
"Because I save me, that's the way it's always been. You aren't the one who kept Mephisto's demons off me. You aren't the one that survived the shipwreck, the sea, and Trag Oul only knows what else! I did that."
"Mephisto's demons? Just where exactly are you from? And you think way too highly of yourself! Like I said, if I hadn't found you when I did, you would have been dinner for the Carvers! And if they didn't kill you, the daughters of Kethryes would have! They tried to kill both of us, I protected you," I insisted obstinately.
"You, protect me? You're barely taller than a troll to me. You don't look much better either," he laughed.
"We neither do you, the way you're all banged up. You're the one that took a beating, not me. If you were so tough then you wouldn't be here with me having this conversation," I replied, irked.
He looked at me deadly serious. His green eyes almost glowed in the dim light. "Don't you ever mock me, Amazon. I have powers you can't even comprehend. And I'm not afraid to use them on people who piss me off. Especially annoying little bitches like you."
"What did you say to me? By Zerae, I'm beginning to regret going through this mess for you. I stuck my neck out for this?" I groaned. This guy was a total jackass and I hadn't even known him for five minutes.
"That was your choice, not mine. It's not like I owe you anything." He smirked.
"So you are admitting that I did save your life," I asked, triumphant.
"Well you look like you've been through something; although with the way you are it could be anything. I wouldn't put it past you to be lying. That's what people do, they lie. And if you're hoping for some sort of reward then I guess you're out of luck. You'd be lucky if I just gave you a quick goodbye," he admitted.
"I just want a quick way off of this island!" I announced.
"Why's that? Home a little boring for you?" he asked.
"Why should I even bother to tell you? It's not like you'd care. With a head as thick as yours you probably wouldn't understand even if I told you."
"I told you not to insult me," he said icily and without warning a strange, yellow-green light enveloped his hands like flame. The flame fluttered about unstable but he didn't seem to notice.
I stepped back a few feet, I didn't like the feeling this energy gave off at all. Was he really going to attack me? Here?
"Barbera tee—" he began, and the energy crackled dangerously, but just as suddenly it faded away as he grabbed his side and staggered backwards. Too much too soon I guess. He almost fell over from the recoil.
"I'd help you," I started, "but you've made it perfectly clear that you don't want me here, let alone my help. So I for one think it will be funny to watch you fall strait on your face." I said with a smile.
Indeed he did fall forwards, and barely managed to catch himself on his wounded hands before he fell completely on his stomach. Although I must say, if it hurt he did an excellent job of hiding it.
"What's going on in here? What was that light?" an unidentifiable female voice asked as a rogue Amazon in red ceremonial robes walked in. "Oh, I see both of you are awake. Kara," she called to someone outside, "tell her majesty the news."
That caught my attention immediately. "Your majesty? Do you mean your Queen?" I asked in surprise.
"No, Amazon, she means her pet seagull, what do you think?" the necromancer groaned as he pushed himself onto his knees then hastily stood up. He teetered again.
"Don't push yourself," the Amazon said sternly. "You are still very ill. And if you die, the queen will be most displeased with me," she said sourly. Clearly she detested the fact she was in charge of us.
"Wait just a moment. Your sisters I encountered in the forest tried to kill both of us. Why is it that we are here, with you, alive, and have had our wounds treated?" I asked, truly curious about this odd turn of events.
The scarlet robed Amazon cringed. "It was not our choice to help you at all. By all rights the two of you should be dead now. Especially him--" she spat at the necromancer.
"Ah, and there it is. I was waiting on that," he said snidely.
"Be silent!" our captor demanded venomously, "you are here because the Queen herself allowed you to live. She herself will be here shortly to explain everything to you, priestess of Zerae. And you, necromancer, are only alive because this priestess fought to defend you. The way she fought for you, we thought surely you meant something to her. I can't understand how someone can even stomach your kind, vile, wretched practitioner of demonic arts!" she spat.
"You're right to be afraid of me," he chided, "Because I'm going to—" he began.
"He's going to sit down and shut up if I have to knock him out myself," I finished for him. He glowered at me, that eerie light flashing behind his eyes. "You," he began, "I'll kill you later."
"If we live that long. The way you're talking is going to get us both killed. We're prisoners right now in case you didn't notice," I reprimanded.
"She's right necromancer. The queen spared her life, but she might not spare yours," our custodian announced.
"You can certainly hope," he mocked.
By Zerae his mouth was bigger than the largest elephant I had ever seen . . . it was like a bottomless pit of sarcasm. I thought necromancers were supposed to be terrifying. He was just annoying, but then again . . . that energy he had conjured up a minute ago, there was true power in it. It carried a definite dark feeling to it. It felt like . . . .death. Well that was why they were called necromancers . . . That spell he was about to use on me had that power in it . . . so he wasn't just bluffing. That sent a chill down my spine as I looked at him.
"Gyera, her majesty is here," a voice called in from somewhere outside.
"Mind your tongues both of you," she snarled more at the necromancer than at me, "if either of you insult my queen your heads will roll at my feet!"
"None of you have what it would take to kill me," he said with a grin on his face as he watched our captor get huffy and red in the face. I could tell it was taking every ounce of her restraint to keep from hitting him.
"Right now, anything could kill you, seeing how serious your wounds are, necromancer," a voice said as a shadow appeared in the doorframe.
I recognized the voice as the one behind me in the woods, yesterday. At least I thought it was yesterday. I had no clue where we were exactly and how long I'd been out for. A tall, muscular woman in dark red armor surfaced before us. Behind her were three handmaidens in similar garb.
"Queen Cherae," said our chaperone, bowing low.
"Gyera, you are dismissed. Go and see to our other sisters," the queen instructed.
"But, your majesty, he," she began directed at the necromancer.
"As of this moment, he is of no threat to me. Just looking at him is enough to tell you that. If he somehow managed to cast even one spell, he would undoubtedly collapse.
"Yes my queen," she said and quickly took her leave, although not without casting us one last suspicious glance.
The necromancer opened his mouth to say something but a harsh look from the regal woman silenced him. "Stay silent like the dead you command, necromancer. I have little patience for those who think themselves superior to everyone else."
"I don't take orders," he said flatly. "Especially not from people I don't find threatening."
"No?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose you'd reconsider if I was to throw you into our arena in your condition. Your brave talk fools no one, save maybe yourself, dark mage."
He snorted but didn't say anything, much to my relief.
"Your majesty," I began, unsure of how to address this woman, "I'm not sure I understand. It was you who spared our lives, was it not? Yet, it goes against your own law to do so."
"Ah yes. I did choose to spare your lives. I have . . . seen something interesting in the fires of the mighty Kethryes. You might say I knew that you were coming."
"So you see through fire?" I asked curiously.
"I read the fire like your high priestess reads the lightening from the heavens, warrior." She said, emphasizing the last word. She must have seen the confused look on my face. "There is no way that you could be a priestess. Priestesses only fight in times of war. You," she started, "have been quite an upstart."
"You know about all that?" I asked.
"Yes. I have heard. We are not so isolated that rumors don't reach our ears. But as I said before, I have foreseen your arrival, daughter of the high priestess."
The necromancer looked at me with interest. "Well that's interesting. Just what exactly did you do, Amazon?" he asked me.
"Ask your questions when I am finished speaking," the queen demanded. That eerie light flashed behind his eyes, and she took notice. "You have quite a temper."
"You haven't seen anything yet," he growled.
"And I doubt that I will if you value your life. Even those who worship death as you do still seek to preserve their own life for as long as possible."
"I'm not afraid to die," he said strongly.
"I don't doubt that, but do you honestly want to throw your life away for something so trivial like a lack of manners towards your hostess?"
"What is it exactly that you want with me?" he asked, leaving me out of the matter entirely. How selfish, I thought to myself. I saved his life and he didn't care what happened to me.
"I want you to listen to what I have to say." She said glaring at him.
"Speak then," he said plainly as he started to cough. As his body shook, bloody patches began appearing on his white bandages.
"Are you—" I began. For some reason, rude though he was, I didn't want him to suffer.
"I'm fine," he snapped, "I'm listening."
She nodded. "I have seen you both in a vision. I have been having dark dreams as of late. warrior," she said addressing me, "my dreams are the same as yours. Trouble stirs in the west."
"What is to be done then?" I asked. "How do we play into this," I said as I looked my injured companion over.
"Your role is not yet clear, though the influence you will hold over the situation is very powerful. More will happen to you than I can see, but that which I can says that I must not hold you here."
"So that's it?" I asked, amazed. "We're free to go? Just like that?"
" Not quite," she said. This made me and the necromancer frown. "I have a task for you, a trial if you will, that will determine whether or not you are fit to leave this island to the challenges that lie beyond."
"Challenge?" I asked.
"She means something difficult, Amazon, in case you didn't know," the necromancer chided.
"Shut up," I growled at him.
"Or you'll do what exactly?"
"Silence, both of you," the queen reprimanded us like she was talking to children, "There is a river demon lurking in the estuary just beyond this fortress that has been eluding us. I want the two of you to vanquish it. But beware, this monster claims all that are unwary. Do this and you will not only have my permission to leave and my forgiveness for your trespasses, but we will outfit you with what provisions we can spare for your journey."
The necromancer gave an indignant snort. "Are you telling me that a group of you couldn't wipe the thing out? That's really pathetic. And another thing, I work alone. There is no way in the name of Trag Oul that I am dragging this damn girl with me! She will just get in my way. If I have to kill the damn thing for you to get out of this place then so be it, the sooner you let me out the better. I have an agenda to attend to. What's more, it's my agenda. I don't know what journey you're talking about, because I'm not taking anyone with me! " he declared, glowering at me.
It was my turn to laugh. "Your majesty, you want me to take him with me? Surely you must know that this is a death sentence for him. Look at him, he can barely stand. You expect me to be able to defend him and kill the creature at the same time? What about weapons?" I asked.
The queen nodded. "You will find that you need none," she replied.
"Excuse me!?" The necromancer grunted incredulously. "You want us to kill a demon without weapons? What are we supposed to do? Strangle it or just ask it to die?"
"I don't know, you have a pretty good grip," I said sarcastically.
"You must rely on each other," Queen Cherae stated simply. "Only together can you defeat this foe."
"What's to keep me from simply leaving once you turn me loose of this place?" the necromancer voiced aloud the question I had been wondering.
He seemed that type to me, the kind that would just blow someone off completely when they asked a favor of him. What would keep him from just walking away other than his health? This idea of the queen's revolted me. I would have a dead weight with me, good for nothing but complaining. And the more and more I thought about it the more and more gladdened I was that we didn't have weapons. He might actual try to kill me if he had one.
"Necromancer, I doubt that the nature of your condition eludes you. I doubt that you would get very far on your own before you require more medical care. But to answer that question, if you attempt to run away, know that you will be caught. My daughters are everywhere in these woods
and the daughters of the other tribes patrol the lands beyond. And if you are caught disgracing yourselves by fleeing, we will strike you down where you stand. There will be no second chances. Dishonor will be met with death," she affirmed.
"And what if we can't find the demon?" I asked her. "How long are you giving us?" I asked.
"If you are smart, the demon will come to you. It is so with all great hunters, daughter of Zerae. You have until morning," the queen assured.
I stood there, stunned. "You want us to fight in the dark!?" I exclaimed in shock.
The necromancer laughed. "This just keeps getting better and better. Why don't you just execute us now and save us the trouble?" he griped.
"Fate controls everything. You will live, or die, as fate demands. If you succeed in this endeavor then it will prove my suspicions. You will be strong enough to face the future I have foreseen for you."
" Future what future? You could be seeing things that aren't true. For all I know you could be inhaling fumes for your so called prophetic visions," the dark mage grumbled.
"Not likely," I said quietly. "Amazon inner sight is a true gift from the immortals. It involves no ingestion of poisons."
"Whatever, I'm not going to be around any of you long enough to care. Let's go. I hate waiting," he insisted as he struggled to stay stable on his feet. He shook on them dangerously. I could still see sweat on his brow. The fever hadn't broken yet either.
"Honorable Queen Cherae, please allow me to vanquish this demon. I don't think he stands a chance. I don't want to see him die like that," I said quickly.
The necromancer cast a steely gaze on me. "I don't want your pity. I HATE pity. I'll kill you before I accept it from you. If you think I'm weak you'd be wrong. I've been building my energy," he announced a little peeved. He closed his eyes and centered himself, standing strait up. He waived slightly still, but he looked stable enough to walk.
The Queen nodded. "Are you ready?" she asked.
The necromancer rolled his eyes. "Didn't I just tell you I was?"
I'd have kicked him but I was afraid I might severely injure him and then I'd have to carry him. "I'm ready as well. The sooner we leave the better, the more time it gives us," I affirmed.
"Good. Fraya, if you please," she said gesturing to one of the warriors behind her. The amazon Fraya, stepped forward, two pieces of thick cloth in her hands.
"Blindfolds?" the necromancer asked in distaste.
"No one will know the location of this fortress save us. You were both unconscious when you were brought here and thus have no knowledge of how to get here. We will lead you to a rendezvous point. When and if you slay the demon, you will return to that spot and a few of my daughters will escort you back here in the same manner." The regal queen explained.
"What makes you so sure we won't stumble onto this fortress on accident in our wanderings?" I asked.
"The place you need to go is a safe enough distance away. And as I have said before, my daughters patrol these forests. If you stumble even remotely close, they will bar your way." Queen Cherae announced.
I nodded, and allowed one of the queen's security detail to bind the cloth around my eyes. "Don't trip," I shot at the necromancer.
He mumbled something I couldn't here as a strong hand began guiding my way. It was an uncomfortable feeling not to know where I was going. All around I could here the sounds that the forest made at night. I could hear the chirping of insects, the soft cooing of birds and the rustle of
the underbrush. It wasn't too much later that we stopped moving and the blanket was moved away from my eyes. We were in a small clear patch about fifteen feet wide. The lighting was dim at best.
"The estuary is just ahead," said the warrior behind me. I turned to thank her and realized that they had slipped away into the underbrush already. The necromancer growled.
"They move like assassins," he said bluntly. "But somehow I doubt that you can too," he spat.
"Stop griping at me," I snapped. "I can move that way when I don't have a tag along. With the way you're stumbling around every predator in the forest can here us," I retorted. "You know what, why don't you just stay here and wait on me? It'll be easier on both of us. I won't have to worry about you getting eaten," I suggested.
He just laughed. "I'm not going to wait around here like a sitting duck. If you were planning on using me as bait to draw out the demon, guess again," he said plainly. I'm not sticking my neck out for anyone."
"Well then what do you think we should do? You can't exactly fight," I pointed out.
"You know what? I have an idea. I have enough energy for one thing. . . I know how you can make yourself useful," he said with a wicked smile.
Without warning, he threw out his had towards me and said something I didn't understand in some arcane language. I suddenly dropped to my knees in pain. A red glow lit our dim surroundings as it permeated off my skin in waves into the necromancer's hand. I felt a vacuuming sensation, as I became weaker with every passing second. The further down I sank, the more I saw him straiten up. He suddenly became a lot more balanced and I noticed that some of his minor wounds appeared to be healing up. Then I realized, he was literally sucking the life out of me.
"What are you doing? STOP!" I demanded as vehemently as I was able.
"How do you like my life tap curse?" he chided, as the glow built to a crescendo.
"STOP!" I demanded, my strength failing rapidly. Was he going to kill me? Surely one of the rogue amazons that were supposed to be watching us would do something? And if I died, wouldn't they surely tell Queen Cherae? He would never make it out of here alive if that happened. And then, just as suddenly as it had come, it subsided. The necromancer absorbed what was left of the glow and the force of it made him stumble back some. I tried, with great difficultly to return to my feet. I had to make several attempts before I succeeded.
He watched me and laughed. "How does it feel? Don't think you're so tough now do you? I could kill you right now if I wanted to. Thanks to you, I'm strong enough."
"Then why don't you?" I panted, struggling to regain my breath.
"Sadly, I'm out of mana," he explained coldly, "and I don't think you're worth the effort."
"How kind of you," I said sarcastically, looking around for anything I could use as a weapon.
"Now, why don't you be a good girl, and you stay here. It shouldn't take me very long to regain enough of my mana to kill this thing now that I'm not so goddamn injured and weak," he stated and turned his back to me, walking away into the darkness ahead before I could stop him.
"Damn!" I shouted loudly, though with the din of the forest it was drown out. I would have kicked something, but I knew I would fall over. I took a moment and leaned against a nearby tree. So much for not giving us weapons. He had just attacked me anyway. And I was helpless to defend myself . . .the potency of that curse, even when he was so weak and had little spiritual force to expend on it, frightened me. He was definitely powerful. . .
I took a deep breath, feeling some of my vitality come back with it. I wasn't going to stay here. It was too dangerous to linger to long in any one spot, especially without weapons. I took a step after him and stumbled over a supple root. Then it occurred to me. I could make a makeshift
bow. A pathetic one at that, but It should be enough to get me through. I yanked the root up and broke it off. I saw a nearby vine dangling from a tree and grabbed that as well. I hastily tied it onto the wood. I pulled it back to give it a test. The range on it was pathetic, but it was sturdy enough to hold something. Something was going to have to stand extremely close to me for my bow's attack to have any potency at all. As for arrows, a small smile came to my face as I thought about it. Cherae had been right, I didn't need anything. Legend had it that once the ancient amazons of Tran Athulua had found themselves under siege by pirates. The siege lasted many months and ammunition ran out. It was then that the sisters prayed to Athulua and the immortal granted them insight to make arrows from their own spiritual energies. By focusing our own mana, we could create something with enough substance to be fired from a bow.
The necromancer might not have had enough mana to immediately deal with the situation, but I did. Feeling refreshed enough to continue, I hastily made my way after him. It was dark, so I listened for everything. Every sound gave way to a feeling of life energy, and this triggered my inner sight. I could literally see everything around me without seeing it physically. My boots sloshed as they hit the water and my feet sank into the sticky mud beneath it, hindering my progress as I labored to talk each step. My guess was that the necromancer hadn't gotten very far either, unless he could walk on water.
My hunch was correct; my inner sight revealed that he was just up ahead along with something else. From the looks of it, he had somehow managed to draw out the demon and was now fighting it. As I entered into view he was hurling green-yellow balls of energy at it with what looked like teeth protruding out of them. The missiles hit and on impact they seared holes through the creature's flesh. It wailed and thrashed about, making horrid noises until at last it flailed its tentacles and fell back into the water, spouting blood. It appeared to be dead, and he gave it a suspicious glance, before turning and walking back towards me.
That's when I felt it. My inner sight gave a twinge and I used the faint light from the creatures own energy to illuminate it, leaving a trail of stars between me and it. The necromancer turned around sharply, energy in hand, just in time for a tentacle to whip out of the water and smack him hard across the chest, sending him to the ground. The head of the reptilian creature, surfaced from the water, and opened its powerful jaws lined with saber-like teeth. The necromancer flung an energy ball, but it missed as the creature's head came crashing down. He had just enough time to hastily roll aside. The creature smacked its tail across his bare chest, pinning him down. He struggled against it but to no avail, it had pinned his arms. It reared back to strike again and there was a bright light. The necromancer had found a way send those teeth-like balls through the tentacle and break free. He hastily made his way back onto his feet, but he wasn't going to be able to move away from the creature fast enough. That was my cue.
Taking careful aim, I conjured an arrow from my own mana and I saw it come to life in bright rays of light. I ran forward with the ethereal arrow tight against the bow string into range. When I was only about twenty feet from them, I loosed it, watching it travel leaving blue rings of energy behind. It spiraled right into the creature's open mouth and imbedded itself into the back of its throat. There was a bright blue light and its head exploded, sending gunk everywhere, including over me and the necromancer. No doubt about it, this time the creature was definitely deceased.
My necromancer companion turned to me as the effects of my inner sight wore off, darkening the immediate area.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he said irritably.
"Saving your life for the second time, although I have no idea why I did, seeing as you tried to kill me earlier," I said curtly. I expected him to say something snide, but instead he just wiped the slime off his drenched brow. He gave his hand a shake, flinging it everywhere.
"Even I find this disgusting," he growled, shaking his head.
"So now what?" I asked him, readying the bow in case he tried anything else. Now I was armed. He wouldn't do anything else to me without a fight.
"Let's just go," he said simply, shocking me so much that I blinked and dropped my guard.
"What?" I asked in amazement. "That's it?"
He raised an ivory eyebrow. In the dark his hair was unbelievably bright. "What? You want to fight me? Want revenge for what I did earlier?" he took a step back, bracing himself, expecting me to attack him.
I shook my head. "Only if you're going to try anything else," I stated bluntly.
"Why bother? I'd just kick your ass. Trust me you don't want to push me. If we get into another scrap I really will kill you this time. I'm too damn tired to waste my time with play fights. You want to fight me, fine. But it'll be all or nothing. And if I win, as a consolation prize, I'll use your skeleton as my personal bodyguard."
I sighed in distaste. "You certainly have a way with people. I just want to get back to the fortress so I can get off this island. I have a calling in the west, in case you didn't hear."
He nodded. "Then let's go. I personally don't want to be standing around here all night. I prefer to sleep lying down and your banter is hastily putting me there."
I sighed and started walking back, keeping him in the corner of my eye the whole way. He definitely looked better but still a bit out of it. He needed more treatment before he'd be fit to travel any long distance. We traveled in silence for the most part, back to the spot where the amazons had left us. They were no where to be seen as we arrived, the necromancer took to sitting cross-legged on the ground beside me. I sat down too, directly across from him.
"What happened," I asked him at last.
"To what?" he asked impatiently.
"To you? Why are you here? You said something about Mephisto's demons. The Lord of Hatred is kind of a serious matter," I said gravely.
He laughed. "I hardly know you. You think I'm going to just spill my guts for you? My own father doesn't usually get that much out of me."
"Okay then. What will you do when we get back? Where are you going?" I asked again.
"That's none of your business," he said flatly. "Why?"
"You said you had an agenda. You must be heading somewhere," I replied. This man was certainly tall, dark, and mysterious.
"True," he added. Alright, if it will shut you up, I'm headed to Lut Gholein. I have something I have to do there and then I'm going home." He said cryptically.
"Where's your home? Kurast? I heard most mage clans are from there." I asked. He glowered at me.
"If I told you that I would have to kill you and then I would be killed myself for telling someone else to begin with. If you keep asking me questions I will kill you anyway.," he threatened.
I could tell I was hitting a nerve, and that he wanted me to be quiet by the look he was giving me. "You've threatened me at least three times within the last hour. If you were serious, you'd have killed me by now," I pointed out.
" What are you getting at?" he asked, sharp as a knife. He was definitely smart.
"If you're going east, you'll have to get through the mountain pass in the West. Since you're going that way we should travel together. I want you to take me with you," I announced.
He nearly fell over laughing and then sat up strait, wincing. He put a hand in the small of his back, massaging it. "Why in the Sanctuary should I do that?! I told you that I work alone, can you not take a hint? Besides you saw what I did to you earlier. What's to say I wouldn't do worse
than that if you piss me off? And you've done a lot of that since the second I first saw your face earlier. I might kill you in your sleep if I felt like it. You really think you can trust me?" he sneered.
"Somehow I don't think you're as bad as you're making yourself out to be," I said truthfully.
"How would you know? Amazon you're stupid to trust someone you've just met. Especially someone like me."
"You're not going to hurt me," I said confidently.
"What makes you so sure?" he asked, a malicious gleam in his eyes.
"Because now that I have seen what you can do, I will be on my guard. You will find that pissing off an amazon is not a smart thing to do at all. I can defend myself just fine. Besides, it might be handy for you to have someone else there with you until you can fully regain yourself. I've already saved your sorry ass twice. I think I've proven myself to a fair extent. I'm competent, I take care of myself," I reasoned.
"You'd better if you intend to stay alive very long. Don't ever depend on anyone other than yourself," he said darkly. "Besides, what makes coming with me easier on you? I think going it alone would be quicker for both of us, or at least for me," he said irritated.
"Unless you can teleport or fly I think we'd get there at about the same time," I admitted. "Besides, don't you ever get tired of being alone?" I asked.
He looked at me point blank. "Never. I like it that way."
"I can tell. You're so obnoxious that you drive everyone away from you," I pointed out.
"Knowing that, why the hell do you want to be around me?" he said in amusement.
"Look at it this way, there is safety in numbers. If we went together it would be easier for us to deal with things that might get in the way," I reasoned.
He laughed again. "I don't need you to deal with things. Are you implying that you're too afraid to be on your own, that you want me to protect you? Because I'd just as soon kill you than I would rescue you."
"I don't need rescuing. Apparently, though, you do," I stated with a smile. "Say what you want, the fact is I've saved your life. You owe me at least the right to make my own decision."
His lip curled. "And what if I let you come with me? The second we get to Lut Gholein I'd drop your ass flat in the sand. What are you hoping, amazon, that'll we'll become best friends or something?"
"No. Nothing like that," I said honestly. I didn't think I could be friends with this man even if I'd wanted to. Still, something was drawing me to him. And still didn't quite understand what it was. Why did I want to go with him so badly?
He looked at me for a moment, those deep eyes boring a hole into my soul. He looked me over and then sighed. "Somehow I get the feeling that you might follow me," he grunted.
"Possibly," I said.
"Well, I suppose I could always throw you in front of me if something happens," he said frankly, "or use you for spell practice to make you regret ever meeting me."
"So does that mean you'll take me?" I asked.
"Get this straight," he said quickly, "If you piss me off I will kill you, I don't need you. If you become a burden in any way, I'll kill you. If you can't take care of yourself, don't expect me to even lift a finger to help you. And we are parting ways the second our feet hit the sand of Lut Gholein, do I make myself clear?" he said at last, deadly serious.
I smiled. "Perfectly." At that time I heard a rustle in the underbrush as several rogue amazons appeared all around us.
"That was quick," the necromancer exclaimed grouchily. "Watch it!" he hissed as we were pulled to our feet and blindfolded. When next we could see clearly, we were back in the encampment, and the face of Queen Cherae greeted us.
"Well
done. You are ready. The next available passage to the mainland
leaves this evening, we've arranged your transport on it. These,"
she said gesturing to a few boxes around us, "are your provisions.
We have taken the liberty to return all of your possessions, plus a
few that we had on hand."
I bowed. "Thank you, Queen Cherae,"
I said as I opened the lid of the one closest to me. It was full of,
to my delight, a whole new set of armor matching the ones the amazons
in our company wore. Upon further inspection, I found several sets of
javelins and my ceremonial short spear. The necromancer seemed
pleased as well. He pulled from a box a long a velvety piece of cloth
that I realized was a robe. He hastily slipped it on over his exposed
skin.
"We didn't have much that could be of use to you, dark mage, but what little we do have is there as payment for your service to us," she said to him.
"It'll work," he said simply without so much as a thank you.
"Prepare yourselves for your departure," she informed and began to walk away.
"Your majesty," I called after her, a question coming to mind. "Is there any way that you are related to Queen Chelsea?"
She stopped and turned around, a serious look on her face. "Don't ask such questions. Questions will sometimes bring you into great trouble." I nodded, and finished inspecting our gear.
The sun was beginning to set when we set out blindfolded towards wherever it was that they were taking us. It was already night time by the time we arrived. When the folds were removed from our eyes for the final time, we were standing on a small riverbank and there was a man on a ferry waiting for us as the rogue amazons loaded up all of our gear. After a brief goodbye from me and nothing from my necromancer companion, we parted ways. We rode on the ferry for a while, and then a thought occurred to me. In all the commotion of the past events, I hadn't even bothered asking my companion his name.
I turned to him. "What is your name? If I'm going to travel with you for a long period of time I would prefer to address you by a name other than your class," I said straightforward.
He got a strange a look on his face, then grinned. "My name is Piricus, amazon. It's Piricus."
