My Necromancer Wife

Xian Xi

I've been watching the woman in front of me for a long time now. There's still no sign of Arya.

She should be done by now.

The woman in front of me stirs. Her eyes slide open.

She fixes me with a steady gaze.

The initial confusion I see there changes to frustration.

She tugs her hands violently against the rope in a futile attempt to free herself - my knot-tying skill is one of a kind.

"How dare you tie me!"

I don't respond.

"Where is she!"

I ignore her.

"Tell her she's making a huge mistake. The woman she's trying to save is dead. Gone! I'm not Arigana. Arigana died and will never come back".

"You can tell her that when you see her. If it were up to me, your body would have been among the ones being incinerated right now. I don't understand her need to save everybody - even the ones that are clearly hopeless."

Her eyes flare momentarily. I notice her fingers tightening as she struggles to control her temper.

"Do you want to know something? I always thought the Peace Corps were trash - I still do. They've created this holy image upheld by the Church but they are worse than the Imperial Army. Why do you think the Demons that threatened the South hill were never vanquished? Because it was all politics. If people didn't need them anymore, no one would pay the heavy taxes stipulated by the Church.

Every once in a while, they'll set out on a mission, claiming victory but never fully eradicating the Demons on the South hill. The show they put up here - claiming that they cannot kill their nightmares because it is against their beliefs - is crap. Arigana was one of them, and so are you. I have every reason not to spare either version of you".

Her eyes bulge until they look like they are going to pop out of her skull.

"You humans are no better than demons. Your current predicament is caused by one of you. Your rage is misdirected. All humans are scum - including the one you claim I'm tied to. All of you deserve to die - and you all will, when the time is right".

"Who cares what you think?"

"You will when my blade is inches from your throat".

"Until then, darling". I say, leaving the room.

I walk down to the Cafeteria. No sign of Arigana or the Annihilators. The floors have been wiped clean.

My feet drag me to 12095A's vault. There's a red sign on the door.

"System, what does this sign mean?"

[It indicates that the candidate has vacated the vault permanently].

"Vacated... permanently?"

[In other words, it means the candidate is dead].

I grasp the wall in front of me for support.

Dead? What does he mean 'dead'? I had just seen her.

[If it is any comfort, she was a great warrior and a good friend].

"How did she die?"

[She must have had enough enemies that wanted her dead, I presume].

But, she can't die, right? Does this mean that Fang finally put an end to her? Did Fang find a way?

"When is my next Nightmare?"

[Nightmares have been temporarily suspended. No reason has been given].

Strange.

[Would you like me to do any further research].

"No, thank you. You have been dismissed".

I stagger back to my room. The reality of her death hasn't sunk in - I just can't believe it.

Anyone else can die, just not her.

"You look like you just saw a ghost". Dove says with a smirk.

I ignore her.

"You're not as tough as you make out to be. All I see is a shell of a man trying to fill in things but has too many leaks".

White-hot rage courses through me and I shoot lightning at her without thinking.

She slams into the wall, splintering the wooden chair in the process.

The lightning hovers along a particular spot on the wall.

Curious, I draw near to inspect it, curiousity overshadowing my anger.

As I lay my hand on the wall, the forcefield becomes visible. It's fluctuating.

And wait... there's a hole in it - which is gradually expanding.

This might be my chance to make it out of here.

The hole must be a result of my power outburst while fighting with Fang.

"It's useless to harbor any hope. The Demon Queen would hunt you down to your last breath".

"Then, let her".

I move over to my drawer and start emptying my costly robes out.

"So what about the other people here? Are you planning on leaving them behind?"

I pause mid-action.

"If I have to". I respond without remorse.

"Then, my friend, you are no better than the Peace Corps you claim to hate. You are as selfish as any other man".

My eyes lock with hers.

"I never claimed to be something I'm not. I think only about myself - that isn't going to change. Do you think that if anyone else had the opportunity to escape they would take me with them? This place is a one-man-for-himself prison. I owe nobody anything".

She laughs - a soft scraping sound.

"Is that so? What about Arya? She risked her life to save you. Are you going to leave her behind? Are you sure she wouldn't do the same for you as well as for everybody here?"

Shoving the sack of clothes, I walk to where she is and yank her by her hair.

"You are just a demon! Stop trying to manipulate me! Don't act like you know her when you don't. She's the only one worth saving, but now that she's... Now that she's gone, that side of me is dead".

She laughs again.

"Are you certain? If it was, I would be dead by now. You would have already found a way out of here by now. Why are you still here?"

I blink at her question.

"Do you really think I am manipulating you? That's what only a confused man would say. If she's dead, you are dishonoring her by leaving all these helpless people behind. What about your friends in the Diamond Rank? Are they really so dispensable to you?"

I slam her against the wall. "Shut up! Shut your mouth!"

Blood trickles down the side of her head.

"Even if you kill me, you know the answer to all these questions. My only regret is that I didn't get the chance to sink my blade into her neck and watch her life fade in my arms."

I release her hair and she collapses to the floor with a loud thud.

Her hands are still securely tied.

Maybe, she's right - Arya would have saved everybody if she could. I should do the same.

I stump out of the room, slamming the door so hard the floor vibrates beneath me.

I walk to the common room and wait outside the door, listening for the best time to knock.

Arcane opens the door, his face drawn, his expression sour.

He steps aside for me to enter the room.

All of them are seated there, quiet yet the atmosphere is sizzling with tension.

"Nightmares have been temporarily shutdown. Even our ranks are no longer visible on the System. Something is terribly wrong". Kross says, his brows drawn in a frown.

"Three people have died - the suspension may have something to do with these deaths". I say, my voice cold yet edgy.

Nine pairs of curious eyes study my face.

"Who are the three?"

"Arigana, Han and... Arya". My voice cracks.

Choi strikes the cord of his instrument so hard that his finger bleeds.

Every face goes pale, all eyes widen with shock.

"Dead?" Rames asks, still doubtful.

I don't believe it myself, but the facts are staring me in the face - she's gone.

"How did she die?"

They all exchange glances - like they all know something that I don't.

"I don't know. I went to her vault and it has been permanently vacated".

"That doesn't mean death". Valen tries to sound hopeful.

"In a place like the Blink, the chances of her still being alive is negligible. No one ever leaves this place. Let's face it, she's dead".

Silence settles over the room - not the calm kind, the kind that exists because no one knows what to say.

"So what happens now? If you don't know how she died, how would we know if we are safe".

I lean back on the velvety cushion.

"We are safe... for now. The person that killed her has no intention of killing us. That's exactly why now is the best time for us to escape".

Wide eyes meet mine.

"Escape? I haven't heard that word in a very long time. If it were possible, we would have tried it a long time ago, Xian Xi. Don't become delusional because of her death. We understand she meant a lot to you".

I shake my head briskly.

"If you told me what I'm about to tell you, I won't believe you either. But, there's a hole in the forcefield - it must have been created when I fought with Fang. I believe that if I channel an equivalent amount of energy towards the hole, it would expand enough for us to slip through".

Kross's mouth hangs open.

"Just us?"

"No. Everyone else deserves the chance to be free". I say firmly.

"I've been a prisoner for so long, I don't know what to do with freedom". Rames says with a bitter laugh.

"I do. The first thing I'll do will be to hunt Fang down and kill her. No matter what it takes".