Rigor Mortis

Chapter Fifteen: Blight

The journey home was long and tiring, though I was glad that Moebius did not try to speak of his crusade again. Along the way, I explained to Lunassah about the Pillars, about the Circle of Nine and about our mutual duty. She only listened, wide eyed, as I retold all the lore and poems and cycles that I had read as a child. She seemed to take the news of her destiny well, though she seemed more excited at the prospect of seeing snow more than at her new and exalted position. Along the way, she managed to coax our free and frightened horses back to us so we were able to ride the rest of the way home.

A year passed. Life seemed to return to normal. Lunassah was enrolled in the sorcery classes and I was relieved to learn that she was accepted more graciously than I had. She was very well liked amongst her peers and life in the Citadel seemed happy for her. As for Moebius, all I knew was that he had retreated deeper into his esoteric research of OZ. I did not see him again until after I graduated from the Citadel's academy. Though I had missed many classes, I caught up and soon passed with aplomb; I was now a full fledged sorcerer. I learned that though I was the Guardian of Death, there were other necromancers in the land. Through a placement program, I took up a position in a guild that was based in Nactholm and I was excited at the opportunity to practice my unique art amongst like-minded individuals.

On the night of my leave, Moebius came to me to see me off on my journey. I was not pleased at the sight of him; I had not forgiven him for his vile deed in Meridian. He seemed to understand and did not address me as some chum of his. He kept his distance and remained tolerably polite. I noticed that in the past year, I had grown much for I was now taller than him by about two inches. I also noticed that though his eyes had changed, due to the Pillar's influence, they were not quite like mine. They were milky white and clouded by cataracts, and he seemed always to be looking beyond into some faraway place. His hair, which had been very light to begin with, was now streaked with pure white and he no longer had any eyebrows. The changes had given him an air of eccentric mysticism and I found myself drawn to his voice as he made idle talk with me.

"So you're going..." he stated.

"Yes," I said curtly.

"I hope you'll be happy," he said vaguely.

"I will."

"Lunassah is sad that you're going," he reported. He adjusted the awkwardly long bundle on his back and took up a large, bulky bag.

"I promised her that I'd visit soon," I replied, "What is all that?"

"I'm leaving too," he answered dreamily.

"You're not coming with me," I said quickly.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Moebius smiled and his eyes stared into some point between my face and the fifth dimension, "I'm going on a journey to see what I can do."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am a Guardian, born with more power and influence than most people. I want to use it to achieve something for the good of Nosgoth."

"Somehow I doubt that," I growled, "if that long bundle is what I think it is."

"I see you've learned derision," he sighed. "I will not ask you to forgive me. If you really need something to hate that badly, then I will go ahead and gladly be that subject. We will meet again and maybe then you'll have learned a little compassion." With that, he disappeared into the night with a swirling of arcane wind, robbing me of the final word.

I found Nactholm to be a dreary little town, full of dreary superstitious people. It was built in the middle of a wretched moor so the days were eternally grey and misty. The ground was always so damp, it was nearly impossible to keep my boots or the hem of my robes free of muck. The town was home to mostly farmers, cutthroats, whores and merchants and I could not fathom why a guild of necromancers would want to set up their location here.

My associates were kind and accommodating enough, though they all seemed to be of the same intense, eccentric cast. They were devoted to their work, that much could be said. Each one seemed to revel in their morbidity and I found it tiring to speak with any of them for too long of a time. They all seemed to want to outdo each other in how creepy they could be and when I found Brother Archimor eating his lunch in the autopsy theatre, I had to chastise him. He seemed disappointed, not at my harsh words, but at my lack of appreciation.

I found that I had a natural knack for any assignment given to me, though not to my surprise. Where the others needed rare and esoteric components and a carefully drawn out ritual circle to summon up a mere zombie, I only needed my will. They were thankfully impressed, rather than jealous and I soon rose in rank and made many close associates, despite my young age. At last I was home, as macabre and odd as it may be.

The guild house was located across the street from the town brothel and I sneered every time I passed by it, though I learned that many of the guild members frequented the place. I could not blame them. The mere title of necromancer was enough to make any woman shudder. Love could only be bought, I supposed, when your office was a morgue. I swore that I would not stoop to such measures, though I was still painfully ignorant of women. Of course, I wanted to remedy the situation but I had no idea how to go about it and besides...there was always work to be done. Embalming, dissecting, reanimating, banishing of lingering spirits, condensing to essential salts...the list went on, and the months flew by without event. Soon enough, I was eighteen years old and unable to answer as to where the time went.

"Morty! Come on! We're going to the Red Rose! You should come too!" Loriath said to me as I was bent over my newest subject. I had been charged with extracting a certain bit of information from the cadaver and necroscopy required physical contact in order to do such a thing. Needless to say, I was currently elbow deep in the investigation.

"I'm in no mood," I said and ignored the spirit's shattering scream of anguish as I tore the knowledge from its body's cooling brain.

"Just for a drink," Loriath insisted, "Getting out of here would do you some good. You're as pale as a sheet, you know."

"I do know," I sighed. I stood up to my full height and stretched, wincing at the crack my back made. "Perhaps you're right. Just for a drink."

"Great! And hey, maybe you'll get lucky and Jeanie will be there. She always gives discounts to first time clients." Loriath suggested, laughing as I sighed.

As I went through the doors of the Red Rose brothel, I fervently hoped that no one would see me, though Loriath, Archimor and the others didn't seem too concerned. The interior was cleaner than I expected, with plush red rugs and golden chandeliers hanging from the plastered ceiling. Almost immediately, a gaggle of girls swarmed us, cooing and giggling over what was sure to be paying customers.

"Archy! I've missed you!" one with impossibly full lips cried.

"Loriath! How's my little booger-bear?" another asked.

"Ooh! Who's your handsome young friend?" a third inquired and I was ashamed to feel the blood running to my face.

"Careful, Jeanie or he'll faint!" Loriath said with a snort.

"We're just here for a drink, girls," Archimor stated and a general sigh came from the gaggle.

"Speak for yourself," Loriath said.

A serving girl led us to a chamber where the only light came from candles placed on the small round tables. Here, like everywhere in the place, there were heavy crimson curtains draped over the windows to block out the sun and to render the patron unable to tell the time. She asked us what we wanted with dusky downcast eyes and she managed to scamper away and still retain her demure cast. I found myself looking at her as she walked away and I had to admit, she was very pretty. Her long red hair flowed down her back like silken waves and I couldn't help but notice how slender and shapely she was.

"She must be new. Never seen her before," Loriath said, "Do you like her? You get dibs, you know."

"Ah...no...that's quite alright." I stammered, aware that my face must be as red as those damn curtains.

"Oh, stop being like that!" Archimor said, "You're acting like you're committing some sort of a crime here. You're not! Those poor, hardworking girls need the money and hell...we need the company. Wouldn't you rather buy her time than have some drunken brute buy it? You're probably doing her a favor!"

"Do you know a man named Moebius?" I asked suddenly, smirking. "He could twist any situation in order to justify it to himself. You'd have liked him."

"Maybe," he replied and eagerly slurped down the contents of his mug as soon as the serving girl gave it to him. As she came closer, I summoned up enough courage to look into her eyes. She was looking right at me, with an expression of gentle confusion. I gulped, trying to think of something, anything to say.

"Mortanius?" she finally asked. I could have fallen down, I was so surprised.

"Um...um...yes?" I managed to say.

"You don't recognize me?" she said with a hint of disappointment.

"Ah...ah...that is to say..." I stammered.

"It's me, Avelice," she finished. I could only stare in shock. The Avelice I remembered was pretty, I suppose, but she had horrible eczema covering her entire body. The girl in front of me now was utterly flawless.

"It's been so long since I last saw you!" she said happily, "I left the Citadel right after graduation. I see you've joined the necromancy guild here. Good for you."

"But what about you? Why are you working here?" I asked as she sat down beside me.

"I was never that good of a sorceress. Sure, I have a little talent, but it's mostly cantrips and all that. I just wasn't good enough to get enlisted in a guild or to join some army in need of mages," she said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"You just haven't found your niche is all," I said, "You must be so happy to be rid of your...problem. I know how badly you were teased at school,"

"I remember when you rescued me," she said and everyone leaned in closer to listen. "Mortanius here stood up to the girls who kept me around as a friend but would always make fun of me. After a while, I grew numb to what they would do and say. They would even call me 'leper' because I had eczema, and I wouldn't even care."

"I can't imagine a pretty girl like you having such a terrible condition," Loriath stated.

"But I did. And using his necromancy, Mortanius scared them all away and made me realize that I should not have to tolerate that kind of treatment. I never got a chance to thank you," she said.

"Shortly after graduation, I met a talented wizard who cured me of my condition but he charged me a lot of money. I'm still paying him back. That's why I'm here."

"How much do you need?" I asked quickly.

"I will take care of my own problem," she said sternly, and then grinned, "I just never imagined that you were the kind to come to a place like this. I always thought you were too shy."

"I...I...this is my first time here and I was just getting a drink and..." I stammered. She only laughed and smiled in a way that made me even more ashamed.

"I understand," she said.

"You do?" I sighed. Suddenly I was filled with a burning ambition and before it faded, I was determined to make my chance. "Let's get out of here. I know of a good eating house not too far from here and..."

"Mortanius...I'm still on duty," she said. I gave her a handful of coins before she could get too far away.

"And now I'm a customer," I said and ignored the cheers and applause from the other two necromancers. Avelice only blushed, took my hand and led me to a back room as lavishly and gaudily furnished as the rest of the place. As soon as the door was closed, her lips were pressed against mine. All thought went out of my head as I embraced her. She smelled of flowers...

Before I knew it, we had managed to reach the bed...

Her skin was warm against mine...

Her hair tickled my face as she straddled my hips...

Suddenly, a scream pierced the heady stillness and I looked around to see what was happening.

"Do not worry. That is...ah...the special room," she explained, "For discriminating customers,"

"I see," I replied, suppressing a laugh, "Avelice, this was not my intention."

"What?"

"I only gave you money because you needed it. I really don't expect you to do anything," I said.

"I just wanted to talk to you more, but in such a way that you wouldn't get in trouble by your employer. I believe I forgot that for a while,"

"Mortanius...you're sweet. You realize though, that I never was able to thank you for what you did so long ago," she sighed.

"You just did, Avelice. Believe me, I want you more than anything right now...but not here. Not like this," I tried to explain. She kissed me again, and all attempts at resisting vanished.

It felt like an eternity...it felt like a second...I had no idea how much time had passed and I didn't care. She was mine and I was hers...at least for this night.

And when I awoke, she was gone.