PLAYING DEAD

  Gallito, Otis, and I stood among the guards on the southern-facing walls. Otis held one of our fine, jeweled lock boxes stuffed with three-hundred and fifty million puries. Gallito carried the rolled silk-infused vellum etched with a title blessing Eldritch as the Champion of Dagon City. We watched as Eldritch and her party approached—one of the knightly Warriors carefully held Ire's decapacitated head by its hair.

  We met them at the eastern gates, and once they entered, the Warrior attempted to hand the head off to me, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

  LEON

  Pardon me?

  ELDRITCH

  Joshua! Stop being a damn toddler and hold on to the damn head!

  Joshua stepped aside, holding the head in disgust with two fingers.

  LEON

  Good to see you back and unharmed, Lady Eldritch.

  Eldritch was still glaring at Joshua as she responded,

  ELDRITCH

  The bastard was tough—

  She growled.

  ELDRITCH

  You satisfied!?

  She barked at Joshua, who grinned back at her.

  JOSHUA

  Was that so hard?

  ELDRITCH

  Fuck you.

  I frowned, dumbfounded,

  LEON

  Um, sorry?

  Eldritch shook her head,

  ELDRITCH

  Ire was no pushover. According to Yuna here, he might have been a prodigy child. He was able to control dozens of undead without, hmph,

  She looked around to gather her thoughts,

  ELDRITCH

  Losing his mind—or something like that. You know, like normal Necromancers.

  She looked back at Yuna, who was staring at the head,

  ELDRITCH

  Yuna?

  Yuna snapped awake, her unblinking gaze falling on me, momentarily frowning at me before explaining.

  YUNA

  Necromancers are few and scarce. A second-tier class of the Summoner. I am a Conjuror, a different second-tier class of the Summoner. Conjurors summon creatures and items from nature itself. I am a prodigy child, so I can uniquely conjure chains without forming symbology symbols—chains have no mind, eyes, ears, or form of sense, and I control everything they do. If I were to summon creatures, my control over them would be as strong as my symbology. Weak Conjurors often die for attempting reckless conjurations.

  Her eyes fell back to the ground.

  YUNA

  Necromancers, on the other hand, use magic and symbology to bring the dead back to life. In exchange for having complete control of their familiars—all five senses of their familiars are sent back to the Necromancer. Skeletons are safer, but they are typically fragile and mana hungry.

  I understood what she hinting at.

  LEON

  But he had a party of undead...

  She nodded slowly,

  YUNA

  And he did not lose a strain of sanity. He fought us clear-mindedly, and mind you, we have slain numerous Necromancers along the borders of Sante June and within the Earth Kingdom. Every one of them... insane.

  She took a deep breath and shuddered, rubbing her arms.

  YUNA

  I'm sorry.

  ELDRITCH

  Don't worry about it.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Yuna backed away towards the rear of her group, her eyes glued to the floor.

  ELDRITCH

  Well, there's the head—we would love to be on our way.

  I smiled,

  LEON

  Quite informal, as I expected.

  ELDRITCH

  We're adventurers, not noble knights.

  LEON

  Good thing I didn't prepare a feast for your return.

  She barked out a laugh,

  ELDRITCH

  I wouldn't eat it.

  Gallito stepped forward and unfurled the vellum,

  GALLITO

  By the right of Leon Griffindale, I Gallito, Justice of Dagon City, grant you, Lady Eldritch of North Star—

  ELDRITCH

  Again, we do not have much time.

  Gallito gave her a long blink before glancing at me with uninterest.

  LEON

  Just give it to her.

  Gallito quickly obeyed and stepped back in annoyance.

  ELDRITCH

  And my reward?

  I nodded, and she took it off Otis' hands.

  JOSHUA

  Ugh—what do I do with this head?

  LEON

  Kendo, please.

  And she stepped forward to retrieve the skull without any care of disgust. As they promptly turned to leave, I stared after them for a moment, watching Eldritch consult Yuna as they went. And moments before I turned away, Yuna turned back at me with eyes of utter sadness as the gates closed after them.

  With an aura of bliss coursing through my veins, I promptly returned to my estate and presented Ire's head to Donatello. He stood and bowed slightly.

  LEON

  Gallito will be here shortly to send a message to the Fire Kingdom.

  I stated.

  LEON

  Help him form an order of pay from the Fire Kingdom. Make sure, if monthly, the payment is substantial.

  DONATELLO

  Understood Chief.

  He responded with a slight nod, and I turned to leave.

  I entered the Great Court and paced into the public courtrooms where a portion of the city had gathered to hear my announcement regarding Ire Farcatcher. I stepped out onto the court, and the chattering ceased. I stood before the bench, generally where a judge would sit, and addressed the crowd with my hands at my back.

  LEON

  People of the great City-State Dagon. I come here before you to spread the news of Ire Farcatcher, a vile Mage who deserted the Fire Kingdom and became a demonic vampire of the Neorine army.

  I looked into the eyes of children, gents, and ladies and spotted Helga sitting near the front out of the corner of my eye.

  LEON

  A foul creature that was once a kinan. Turned by the pull of dark magic. Driven mad... insane, by the art of Necromancy. Granted powers at the cost of his soul by the curse of Asanbo—Asanbosu—Asan—the vampiric curse!

  I smiled along with the children and ladies who giggled at my blunder.

  LEON

  Yes, it is the time to smile and laugh,

  I gestured toward Kendo, and she stepped forward with Ire's head upon a velvet pillow.

  LEON

  For the threat is no more!

  I announced, lifting Ire's head up into the air. The people erupted in cheers. Adventurers jabbed at each other and laughed at inside jokes. I finally laid eyes on Helga, and a tear slid down her face. She gave me a wry smile and a nod.

  LEON

  Let justice be served for those who were wrongfully slain by this monster! Let them rest in peace! May their souls ascend to the heavens and upper worlds as we right the wrong!

  I placed the skull back upon the pillow as I continued.

  LEON

  Let it be known that our city will not fall or be taken over by vile creatures. Even those worth seven hundred million puries—no! Dagon will endure! We will grow! And this will become a new nation of survivors and fighters!

  I raised my hands and bathed in their applause. This is what it meant to be Chief, I told myself.

  *****

  Leon lifted my head up before the masses. My eyes scanned the horde of citizens who pointed and laughed at my death. They cheered and praised the death of someone who met them no harm. I had honestly given up my lust for revenge and sought to live alone in solitude. Leon lied, through his goddamned teeth, about who and what I was. If I were not immortal, this would have been the ending to my story... again.

  I never thought death to be funny. It is not, and it never will be! Death hurts those who are still alive, but... who would mourn for me now? My animals? My slain friends: Hugo, Nines, or Locness? Even if I were to kill someone, I assume someone, somewhere, would mourn their death, and for that, I do not laugh. I do not mock the death of anyone or anything. I do not praise their death!

  After Leon glorified my death to his people, he set my head in a bucket of ice and left me in the treasury keep.

  PAIN

  I ask you this again, Abi, do you think I am evil?

  Abi kept quiet as uncertainty tainted his soul.

  PAIN

  I think I am. I do not take solace in it, but I do believe I am evil. I get angry often. I am very spiteful... revengeful. So, I will come back, and I will mourn the death of this city.