My Necromancer Wife

Xian Xi

I watch as a group of four men slam a hole into the wall.

My nerves are still tingly from all the lightning I conjured.

With every thrust of the boulder, my doubts thicken.

It all feels too easy.

The wall begins to crack, faintly at first, splitting along a jagged line.

My breath hitches as the crack reveals the world beyond.

Looking around, teary eyes gaze at the crack with hope.

I can only imagine their happiness.

"How many people are with us?" I ask.

Kross looks at the queue, his brow arched as he contemplates.

"72 of them refused to come, so I believe that leaves the rest".

Everyone is entitled to a choice, so be it.

Then, the stone wall crumbles with one final thrust of the boulder.

The floor rattles from the impact, causing everyone to jerk.

Gasps tear across the room. Arcane clutches my shoulder tighter.

We all watch, too shocked to even breath.

The men who had been carrying the boulder set it down loudly with sighs of exhaustion.

Their hands are red with bruises.

One of them whose robe is badly torn, looks up at me for directions.

The trust in his gaze makes tears burn behind my eyes.

I have no clue what I'm doing.

Jakota steps forward, sword in hand.

"Someone has to go out first. I volunteer".

His face is stoic and fierce, but when I look closer, his hands are trembling - clutching the hilt of the sword so tightly his knuckles whiten.

"I'll go with you." I say to him. To Kross and Arcane, "We'll give a signal-"

"What kind of signal?" Rames cuts in.

Jakota and I exchange glances.

"Use this". Choi hands me a small blow-horn.

I glance down at the object in my hands.

"If the coast is clear, just blow on that - whatever that is". Comes Kross's stern voice.

"It's a horn". Choi mutters, glaring at Kross.

"Let's go". Jakota says, already heading for the hole in the wall.

I hesitate, looking around my sword.

It had been on the bed earlier.

"Looking for this?" Valen asks, slamming the sheathed sword against my chest.

I take it from him, risking a glance at his eyes.

A small smile plays along his features.

"Don't die out there". He whispers.

My only response is a nod.

Turning, I join Jakota at the wall.

It's a long fall. There's no place for a safe landing - only sharp rocks and crystals lay below.

Strong wind gushes into our faces, hinting that the sea is not far off. The salty tang of the air lingers in my mouth.

The sky beyond is pitch black, stretching over the landscape endlessly.

Nodding at me, Jakota jumps down. He unsheaths his sword and stabs it into the wall, slowing his descent. Sparks fly as his sword grazes the wall noisily.

Holding my breath, I jump down as well. The wind is strong, blurring my vision. The air is hostile, biting down on my lungs as I draw in greedy breaths.

Unsheating my own sword, I try piercing the sturdy walls with it. To my dismay, my sword slides along the smooth stone.

Unable to delay my fall, I brace for impact, closing my eyes and whispering a cursing under my breath.

But, nothing happens. I don't feel sharp rocks jarring into my ribs. Instead, I feel a strong pull at my back - stretching the leather across my abdomen almost painfully.

I open my eyes slowly. I am suspended mid-air.

Slowly, Jakota slides down to the ground. He releases me none-too-gently.

Rising up, I dust myself.

"Thanks". I mutter.

"How are others going to make it down?" He asks.

"They'd figure it out".

We start walking, glancing every-which-way.

There's no sign of danger or anything suspicious.

I lift the horn to my lips but he stops me.

"Not yet. Let's look around further".

We walk farther, crushing rocks beneath our feet.

The place looks... almost peaceful - not what one would expect in the Demon Realm. Every once in a while, we spot skeletons of people, especially near the shore.

The silence is choking, as if the very landscape is grinning at our impending doom - the very thought sends shivers down my spine.

Jakota gestures for me to blow the horn. The sound is loud, echoing across the landscape.

I glance up at the hole, watching to know if the signal has been heard. Heads peer down as a rope is being lowered to the ground.

I notice him watching me from the side of my eye, his expression that of suspicion.

"Why have you been keeping your lightning power a secret?"

The question takes me by surprise.

Not answering would only send his thoughts to horizons that are worse than the actual scenario.

"It's dangerous".

The two words summarize my reasons in a very vague sense.

His brows arch up, probably wondering what could be so dangerous about lightning that I must keep it a secret.

Thankfully, he doesn't press further, he turns his attention to the activity at the wall.

"Suppose something happens now, which of us do you think would die first?" He asks.

I'm tempted to ignore his question, but the urge to dampen his ego is just too much.

"You'd be too busy proving yourself to run". I mutter in response.

He laughs out loud, his laughter echoing in the dark void.

"Maybe. Just maybe. But that brands you as the coward".

"At least I'd still be alive". I retort.

He laughs again.

"What's the value of life over honor?"

His question brings something I had long buried to the surface.

"At least with life, you get the chance to fight some other day."

His expression turns serious.

"Makes sense. That sounds like something Fargo would say".

I feel like he has just exposed a raw wound - too painful for words.

My shoulders tense.

"I heard what happened. I hope he has plenty more to drink wherever he is". Jakota says, his voice too low to be lighthearted.

The comment makes me smile.

People start descending down the rope, while skilled ones take to the air.

I rush forward to offer assistance to the arriving people.

It feels weird - helping someone else.

The first one down is an aged lady with deep blue eyes. She smiles at me, creases forming around her eyes.

I find it difficult to smile back, knowing her gratitude towards me is misplaced.

Others start descending. Jakota retreats, sitting on a rock a good distance away.

As more arrive, more keep descending. The line looks endless, yet, I can't help wondering about the 72 that stayed behind. What would be their fate?

But considering the risks, they are better off than we are.

We might be matching straight to our deaths for all we know.

A young girl of about fifteen descends from the rope. She takes my extended hand to support herself as she slides down the steep rock.

Her expression is a mixture of excitement and fear - excitement at the possibility of freedom, fear of the unknown.

She squeezes my hand tightly before letting go, leaving me to ponder on the meaning of the brief gesture.

My gaze follows her. She walks up to another girl, who looks slightly older than her and embraces her.

I watch them for a while, forgetting my duty to aid the descending people.

Their faces are wet with silent tears. Tears of hope.

Hope.

That's something I've never had. The only time I did was when I had been sixteen - I had had hope of joining the Imperial Army.

More and more people descend, young and old.

I watch the younger people assisting the older ones, guiding them forward.

Finally, it's over. Arcane and Kross are the last to descend.

I realize I'm forgetting something.

Arigana.

Arcane notices the swift change in my expression.

"Is something wrong?" He asks.

His question draws the attention of everyone standing near us.

Everyone glances at me with concerned eyes, wondering what could be troubling me.

"The lady in my room. Where is she?"

Kross scoffs.

"You mean the infuriating demon?"

I nod.

The sarcastic looks on their faces is answer enough.

I turn and start walking toward the building.

"Don't tell me you're going back for her".

Not looking back, I say, "Everyone should proceed without me".

Valen begins muttering something under his breath but stops.

The high wall stares down at me mockingly. How am I going to make it to the top?

Burning with determination and adrenaline, I start climbing the steep stones.

This would take forever at the pace I am moving.

The height doesn't deter me. I steal a glance backward. The people have started marching without me - not that I expected them to wait while I save a demon.

When I finally reach the hole in the wall, my breath is raspy and foggy, my lungs are burning.

Glancing down at my bruised hands and scuffed shoes, I smirk.

All for a demon.

She watches me from the corner she had been left in.

"What made you come back?"