Linalia's eyes were clenched closed. She was sure this had been her
last mistake. Thinking back, she had really been careless. At first,
she'd been surprised that her power had overwhelmed Xeron's so easily. She
had trained very hard, and was very powerful. Still, she had expected more
from him. Unfortunately, this had made her careless. And while she had
over-estimated his power, she had under-estimated his skill with a sword.
Now she would pay for this mistake with her life.
Yet, the end didn't come. Linalia opened one eye, then the other. Xeron simply stared at her. His blue eyes showed a clouded mix of emotions. It was difficult for Linalia to tell what, exactly he was thinking. Only one thing was for sure. For one reason or another, he did not want to take her life.
Their eyes simply stayed locked. It was probably only a half-minute or so, but to Linalia, it seemed like an eternity. She was still overcome by the fear of having death so close. But, at the same time, she knew this couldn't go on forever. Finally, she gathered her courage, opening her mouth.
"What . . . are you waiting for?"
Xeron hesitated. "I . . ." His voice trailed off. "It's . . . nothing. I just might find you more useful . . . alive."
Linalia stared up at him. "What use would a Necromancer have with anyone alive?"
Xeron seemed to be thinking. There was obviously another reason for his hesitation.
"Why should I tell you?" he finally snapped.
Linalia sensed something about him . . . fear, was it? She looked up at him as if for the first time. Was this truly the Necromancer she had come to kill? Xeron was rumored to be one of the most deeply evil humans in existence. Was this truly the same man the rumors had spoken of? He seemed to be trembling slightly, his face completely unsure of himself. Perhaps the rumors had been exaggerations. Most rumors did turn out to be that way.
An awkward silence ensued for a few moments. Finally, Xeron sighed, tossing his sword aside. He walked over to his bed. It looked more like a pile of rags then a bed, but it was the closest thing to a bed that Linalia could see in the room. Sitting down on it, Xeron put his elbows on his knees, resting his head between his hands. Linalia looked about, very confused. What could she do at this point? She couldn't just leave. She had been sent to end this evil. Yet, she couldn't kill him. Not like this. With few other options, Linalia just walked over and carefully sat next to him.
Xeron looked over at her, seeming confused. "What do you want? If you want me dead, kill me. If not, just leave."
Linalia shook her head. "I don't want to kill you. You already spared my life. It's only fair that I return the favor."
"Then why are you still here?"
Linalia thought for a moment. "Curiosity, I guess," was all she could come up with.
"Oh, I get it," said Xeron. "A Necromancer who won't kill . . . and you want to know why. It's pretty simply. I'm a failure. Why don't you just put me out of my misery?"
Linalia shook her head stubbornly. "You're not a failure at all! Most Necromancers are failures . . . failures as people. But you . . . you still have a heart. That's why I'm sparing you." She moved closer, her arm sliding around his shoulders.
Xeron pulled away from this show of affection, siding over to the other side of the pathetic excuse for a bed they were sharing. "Go away. If you're not going to kill me, just go away."
Linalia was becoming more and more persistent. "I can't just leave you alone like this. You'll probably do something stupid like killing yourself. Now that I've seen your heart, I'm not going to let it go to waste."
"What would be the problem with that? Isn't that why you came here?"
"I came here to extinguish a great evil. That doesn't necessarily mean killing. I think I've done a better job then even I could have hoped for. And now, you've got to finish the job. But I can help . . ."
Xeron curled up in a ball, facing toward the wall. "You're crazy! I don't want any help. I've never had help in the past, there's no reason I should have it now."
This comment stirred something in Linalia. She'd been taught how necromancers usually get their start. They are often ignored or abused as children, living through hell and seeing only one way out. That's why they turn to the dark arts. Not because they're evil, but because they don't see any other way. Xeron had probably never felt any kind of human affection in his life. All this was very new to him.
"I'm staying with you. No matter how long it takes. You can't talk me out of it, so don't bother trying. And if you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you had the chance."
Xeron seemed to be ignoring her, still facing the wall, his expression not visible. It was starting to get late. Linalia sighed, removing her cloak and laying it out on the floor. She'd slept on far worse, so this would have to do, for tonight. Perhaps a good night's sleep would wash things away, make his thoughts clearer. It would be a start, anyway.
Normally, of course, Linalia would have had second thoughts about sleeping in a Necromancer's castle. Somehow, though, she felt perfectly safe.
Yet, the end didn't come. Linalia opened one eye, then the other. Xeron simply stared at her. His blue eyes showed a clouded mix of emotions. It was difficult for Linalia to tell what, exactly he was thinking. Only one thing was for sure. For one reason or another, he did not want to take her life.
Their eyes simply stayed locked. It was probably only a half-minute or so, but to Linalia, it seemed like an eternity. She was still overcome by the fear of having death so close. But, at the same time, she knew this couldn't go on forever. Finally, she gathered her courage, opening her mouth.
"What . . . are you waiting for?"
Xeron hesitated. "I . . ." His voice trailed off. "It's . . . nothing. I just might find you more useful . . . alive."
Linalia stared up at him. "What use would a Necromancer have with anyone alive?"
Xeron seemed to be thinking. There was obviously another reason for his hesitation.
"Why should I tell you?" he finally snapped.
Linalia sensed something about him . . . fear, was it? She looked up at him as if for the first time. Was this truly the Necromancer she had come to kill? Xeron was rumored to be one of the most deeply evil humans in existence. Was this truly the same man the rumors had spoken of? He seemed to be trembling slightly, his face completely unsure of himself. Perhaps the rumors had been exaggerations. Most rumors did turn out to be that way.
An awkward silence ensued for a few moments. Finally, Xeron sighed, tossing his sword aside. He walked over to his bed. It looked more like a pile of rags then a bed, but it was the closest thing to a bed that Linalia could see in the room. Sitting down on it, Xeron put his elbows on his knees, resting his head between his hands. Linalia looked about, very confused. What could she do at this point? She couldn't just leave. She had been sent to end this evil. Yet, she couldn't kill him. Not like this. With few other options, Linalia just walked over and carefully sat next to him.
Xeron looked over at her, seeming confused. "What do you want? If you want me dead, kill me. If not, just leave."
Linalia shook her head. "I don't want to kill you. You already spared my life. It's only fair that I return the favor."
"Then why are you still here?"
Linalia thought for a moment. "Curiosity, I guess," was all she could come up with.
"Oh, I get it," said Xeron. "A Necromancer who won't kill . . . and you want to know why. It's pretty simply. I'm a failure. Why don't you just put me out of my misery?"
Linalia shook her head stubbornly. "You're not a failure at all! Most Necromancers are failures . . . failures as people. But you . . . you still have a heart. That's why I'm sparing you." She moved closer, her arm sliding around his shoulders.
Xeron pulled away from this show of affection, siding over to the other side of the pathetic excuse for a bed they were sharing. "Go away. If you're not going to kill me, just go away."
Linalia was becoming more and more persistent. "I can't just leave you alone like this. You'll probably do something stupid like killing yourself. Now that I've seen your heart, I'm not going to let it go to waste."
"What would be the problem with that? Isn't that why you came here?"
"I came here to extinguish a great evil. That doesn't necessarily mean killing. I think I've done a better job then even I could have hoped for. And now, you've got to finish the job. But I can help . . ."
Xeron curled up in a ball, facing toward the wall. "You're crazy! I don't want any help. I've never had help in the past, there's no reason I should have it now."
This comment stirred something in Linalia. She'd been taught how necromancers usually get their start. They are often ignored or abused as children, living through hell and seeing only one way out. That's why they turn to the dark arts. Not because they're evil, but because they don't see any other way. Xeron had probably never felt any kind of human affection in his life. All this was very new to him.
"I'm staying with you. No matter how long it takes. You can't talk me out of it, so don't bother trying. And if you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you had the chance."
Xeron seemed to be ignoring her, still facing the wall, his expression not visible. It was starting to get late. Linalia sighed, removing her cloak and laying it out on the floor. She'd slept on far worse, so this would have to do, for tonight. Perhaps a good night's sleep would wash things away, make his thoughts clearer. It would be a start, anyway.
Normally, of course, Linalia would have had second thoughts about sleeping in a Necromancer's castle. Somehow, though, she felt perfectly safe.
