Where did the corpse go? Alessia thought, looking around for it eagerly. Well, not a corpse. It’s alive. She spotted footprints wandering outside Count Fairley’s Garden and into the forest behind the manor. She followed the trail, unsure what she would expect when finding it. Her heart rhythm went erratic, traveling into the forest, hearing birds chirping around her.

Pure silence filled the air in the forest while she listened for anything that might attack her. She didn’t have much time before the meeting at town hall, but she would try searching for it to see how it behaved. One thought perturbed her significantly: what if I revived a monster instead of a human? It was a risk she would have to take and at least kill it before it caused any damage.

The footprints went into a small cave. She stopped short of the cave’s entrance... She opted not to go inside without a torch to enter the cave. Waiting or luring it out would be a lot better.

She would wait a while. She wanted to know what the raised corpse was like. Did it talk or act human? She needed to know what her abilities could do. Animals and humans were different species and not the same when it came to resurrection.

How could I lure it out? She thought, pacing around as she tried coming up with a solution. Nothing came to mind, but she had to think fast. There must be something –

A hand touched her shoulder. She whipped her head around, almost screaming. “Can I help you?” she exclaimed, annoyed she had been scared out of her wits.

“Sorry, Miss. I think you are looking for me.” A man, half decomposed and with glowing yellow eyes, stared at her, his hair remaining slightly grey and messy. His jawbone was exposed, and one of his eye sockets was missing an eye.

Alessia couldn’t keep her eyes off him, pointing a finger at him. “You’re the corpse I found.”

“Is that what I am or… was?”

“A bird led me to you.”

“What bird?” he said, scratching his exposed skull on the left side.

“Never mind,” Alessia said. “Do you have a name?”

He tilted his head at the word name. “For all I know, I don’t have one.”

“What year is it?”

“1417 AE?”

He died this year but doesn’t remember his name, she thought. She rubbed her chin, thinking for a moment. “Well, you know you died? Do you recall how?”

“Not really, I just… remember waking up to the sun hitting my eyes or – uh – eye.” He touched the barren eye socket and frowned, or at least she thought it was a frown. “You resurrected me, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “That was me.”

“Can you give me your name then, Miss?”

“It’s Alessia.”

“Alessia – who?”

She clenched her jaw. “Raith.”

“That last name sounds a bit familiar,” he said. “On the tip of my tongue.” He paused before speaking again. How could my last name sound familiar to him? “Anyway, how did you revive me in the first place?”

“I’m a necromancer.”

“You?” he asked, in shock. “But you’re just a child!”

Alessia pinched the bridge of her nose. “I am not a child.”

“But you say it so… nonchalantly!”

She crossed her arms, shaking her head. “I’m twenty years old, you decomposed human!” she argued and glared at him. The corpse chuckled, which surprised her since he didn’t have much of a mouth. “Believe me, age has nothing to do with this. I didn’t know I could raise a human from the dead in the first place. I thought I was only able to do that with animals!”

“It was an accident, then. There must be a bigger reason why I came back to life, Alessia. Tirren gave me another chance at life.”

The name of the deity spoken by the shaman. So, she wasn’t crazy like Alessia initially thought. He could be a shaman-like Jaera or… maybe another necromancer. Alessia thought. “Tirren? You’re a believer?”

“The only thing I remember about myself is that I worshipped him in my days of living,” he said. “Not much else comes to mind, though.”

She wondered if she should stop by Jaera’s house and talk to her about the corpse, but she couldn’t just walk into town with a human who used to be alive. “You need a name,” she said. “I can’t keep referring to you as a corpse.”

“That would be wonderful if I knew what to call myself.”

“I suppose I will call you –”

“I don’t like it.”

“I haven’t said it yet!”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Whatever name you come up with isn’t going to be good.”

He’s a colorful one, this guy. Alessia crossed her arms, feeling the heat on her face. “You know, for a corpse, you’re fucking annoying.”

The corpse shrugged. “I said what I said.”

Alessia glared at him, her patience wearing thin. “Don’t enter the town until I say so. Otherwise, you stay here.”

“I’m free to do as I please,” he said. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Now I know how Calien feels, Alessia thought, scratching the back of her head. “When people want to burn you at the stake because they think you’re a demon, then go right ahead.” Of course, the corpse wouldn’t want to listen to her. It would be too hard.

“Couldn’t you resurrect me again?”

“I don’t know if it works on the same person more than once! Trust me. You don’t want to go to town anyway. Especially at night.”

The corpse tilted his head, confused by her statement. “What do you mean ‘especially at night?’

“I can’t exactly explain right now.”

She had the notion he was not going to even try to do what she said. For a second, she was tempted to kill him but kept her arms crossed instead. “And why not?”

He was pushing her buttons with his questions, but he had a right to know. “I can tell you, but not at this moment. There’s something I need to do first,” she said slowly. “Please, stay here and don’t leave the cave.”

“If that’s what you wish, then I will abide by it,” the corpse replied. “In the meantime, I will try to think of a name for myself.”

“Do you feel… hungry at all? Or thirsty?”

He looked down, finding his stomach was… empty. “Not at all.” Alessia wanted to smack her forehead for even asking such a stupid question. He was a corpse; of course, he wouldn’t be hungry or thirsty.

She nodded, sighing from the whole conversation. “Well, I have to leave, but I’ll return.”

“How can I trust you will come back?” he asked her.

“You don’t know,” Alessia said. “I am all you have so far.”

The corpse didn’t say much, allowing Alessia to leave the forest and return to Stag. She glanced back, watching him disappear inside the empty cave. If I were him, I wouldn’t want to trust me either, she thought as she left the forest behind.

----------------------------------------

“First of all, I would like to thank each of you for attending this meeting. We had one yesterday, but this one is just as important. As you all know,” Count Fairley began, “From the first meeting yesterday, I told you about the salt preventing those creatures from entering, but that does not mean it will stop them if you open the door or window for them.” People were silent and stirred as he spoke. Alessia was happy they listened to her advice and even more, so they didn’t know it was her who let Fairley know. “I have sent a raven to the capital and received nothing yet, but I expect they will respond soon.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Count Fairley rambled on about the importance of not opening the doors or windows and that the consequences would be dire for everyone in their households. The Sluagh would kill anyone, even a child. They were all the same in the creature’s eyes.

She saw her cousins, Rinna and Elspeth, sitting beside their parents. Even though Alessia was with her mother, she felt alone. Usually, all the cousins would sit beside each other for any event the town held. The last time they were all together was the masquerade feast.

They sat a few rows behind them and couldn’t see Alessia without turning around. Her mother had no prior knowledge of the fight with Rinna, nor did she ask why. Maybe her mother presumed Rinna wanted to be with her parents and sister to cope with the loss. Still, the emptiness inside Alessia wouldn’t leave her.

Calien was on the other side of her, intently listening to Count Fairley’s speech. He hadn’t said much to her after that one night. She missed his banter, but she would never tell him that. Just thinking of what he said to her angered her still. She also said mean things to him, and he hated that she did. They argued before but never like that. It was almost like with Rinna, except her argument with her cousin was much worse.

Maybe I could apologize later, Alessia thought, or perhaps that’s a bad idea. What if he is still mad? Fuck. She wanted to start apologizing to Rinna, but her cousin was too closed off. At least Calien seemed capable of hearing her out.

With the meeting adjourned, Alessia walked back with Calien and her mother. “I must head to the Trades and pick up an important item. You two go on ahead,” her mother said. “I will be home shortly.”

“Yeah, I will see you at home,” Alessia said, nodding.

Once alone, walking back from the town hall, Alessia had no idea what to say to him. Her mind screamed at her to apologize, but no words came out. “Alessia, I’m sorry for the other night I was upset. I just wanted to help and pushed you too far instead.”

“I wasn’t any better,” she said, relieved he made the first effort instead of her. The tightness in her chest eased up a bit. “When I found out my father hired you to protect me a year ago, I felt very trapped.”

“I see… hadn’t thought of it in that way.”

“That being said, the night of the Masquerade Feast made me feel different. I may not be here today if it weren't for you.”

Calien nodded. “You don’t have to thank me, Alessia.”

“Yes, I do.”

“There’s something I have to tell you that occurred today,” she said, sighing. “I was able to resurrect a human from the dead.”

He tilted his head. “Who?” he asked.

“He doesn’t have a name yet or even remember who he is,” Alessia explained, hoping she didn’t sound too insane. “The bird I raised from the dead; it guided me to the dead body in the corner of Count Fairley’s Garden. I used the same spell on the body, but nothing happened. This morning, though, I looked, and… it was gone. So, I followed it to a cave.”

“You’re being serious?”

“Very.”

“I watched you raise the dead before, so there isn’t a reason why I shouldn’t believe you.”

“Speaking of, I need to see him again.”

He followed her to the cave, carefully ensuring nobody else followed them. She showed Calien the cave where she found the corpse. She expected him to have left, but he didn’t. He was in the cave, sitting back.

“You returned!”

Calien paused, raising his eyebrows. “He can talk?”

“I can! And much more.”

“This is what you resurrected? He’s practically a skeleton,” Calien whispered to her.

“Apparently,” she replied. “And light knows what else.”

“What do we do with him?”

“Keep him here.”

“Who is this fine gentleman, and what is your relationship with Lady Raith? If you don’t mind me asking,” the corpse asked.

Calien stood up right. “Calien Hawthorne, and I am her guard, hired by her father, Alaric Raith.” Alessia could tell Calien did not like this, and the two had just met. She shuffled herself in between them.

Alessia explained everything to the corpse and what had happened the previous week. She left out details about what she knew. When she was finished, the corpse looked at her, bamboozled by what she told him. “Sounds like a fairy tale,” it said, sitting on a wooden log. “Not sure how believable it is.”

“Said the talking corpse,” Calien muttered.

The corpse shot him a look. “Watch it, boy.”

“You don’t believe me?” Alessia asked it. “Wait until tonight when the creatures come out. Then we will see. Maybe you will survive the night; maybe you won’t.” She grinned at the Corpse, unsure if he should believe her.

“We just met. I know you came back, but I can’t pretend I can trust you in a short amount of time.”

“What would I have to gain by lying to you?”

“How the hell should I know?”

“Trust me on this one, okay? The Sluagh come out as soon as night hits,” Alessia said. How else would she convince him? He had to see for himself if he was going to believe her. “Stay inside the cave if you even survive the night.” It was risky. She was leaving him inside the cave, exposed with no salt. She might wake up the following day and find him dead again. They left the corpse there. Alessia hoped nothing would happen to him at night, but there wasn’t much she could do to prevent it.

As the day went on, the evening was drawing near. Alessia stayed inside the house, preparing for what she needed to do next. She made sure all the doors and windows were locked again and with salt. She checked on her father, who was awake and reading under the candlelight. He was making good progress with healing so far. Her mother tried staying home as best she could to help him get back to health.

She thought back to what Jaera told her. About Alessia dying when she was born and Jaera’s grandmother saving her. How come her parents never told her about what occurred at her birth? Would they tell her now if she asked? But then they might wonder how she received the information.

She retreated to her bedroom, trying to enjoy the silence before knocks on the windows and doors began.

Her head pounded as she heard someone shouting, “Please, don’t shoot us!”

Shit, not again, Alessia thought, grabbing at her head as she sank to her knees in agony. “Why are you doing this?”

No answer. A few shots were heard, ringing into Alessia’s ears. She swore she smelled charcoal or burning wood in her bedroom. But when the sounds stopped, the smell disappeared. Why does this keep happening? Alessia thought. She wondered if she should go to Jaera and speak to her about the visions she kept having.

“You’re awake,” a voice at the window said. “If you want answers, then let me inside.”

Alessia ignored the voice. It sounded an awful lot like Fiona’s, which was even worse. “You know, you should keep a close eye on your other cousin.”

“Cousin?” Alessia whispered. Her eyes widened at the mention. Rinna? Or Elspeth? Were they in trouble? “You’re a liar. They wouldn’t leave the house knowing what would happen to them.”

“Are you sure about that, dear?” Fiona asked. “I’m positive I saw one heading into the forest where their brother died.”

Shit, no. Alessia thought, her mind racing with the worst. She couldn’t lose another cousin to these things. She knew what she was doing was stupid and possibly risking her life. She grabbed a pouch of salt, just in case, before heading to the back door, knowing what was coming if she didn’t do it. Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.

She twisted the knob, opening it slowly. There was an unnatural stillness to Stag when she stepped outside but the only choice she had was to keep moving before one of those things noticed.

“Where are you going, Alessia?”

She stopped, turned around, and found a group of creatures together in a crowd, becoming closer to her.

“Did you think one of your cousins were out here?” Fiona said, tilting her head. “You should know better.”

Fiona tricked her into believing her cousins were in trouble. Alessia backed up, knowing she was too far from the house to return, but if she could lose them somehow, she’d be able to return home safely.

She booked it into the forest, hoping to lose them and circle her way back.

I shouldn’t have left; I should have stayed, she thought. Alessia couldn't see much without a light source in her hands, relying on the lights from a few houses near town.

She stumbled onto the ground, and when she looked up, most of the Sluagh surrounded her. She panicked, trying to stand up, only to be pushed back down by Fiona. “We only want a bit of fun,” said a man with a pale face wearing a farmer’s hat and a sleeveless tunic.

“I know exactly what you want,” Alessia said, cringing when one started moving toward her.

“Do you know?” Fiona asked, tilting her head in a way that made her seem somewhat inhuman. “We are going to have a lot of fun with you like we did with your cousin.”

She shook her head. “Not until you answer my question.”

“What makes you think we have the answers?”

She gulped, deciding to ask the question anyway. It would be enough to distract them. “How come none of you run?” Alessia asked Fiona, who stared at her with a smile from ear to ear. She shivered, her heart beating erratically as she tried crawling backward. Five or more creatures surrounded her, each with the same smile as Fiona’s.

Fiona kneeled on the wet soil, her dull gray eyes staring through Alessia. “Why?” she chuckled as if amused by the question. “Because we don’t have to.” Her face transformed, her mouth had at least two rows of sharp teeth, and her eyes clouded.

She screamed, her hand out to protect herself. “Relinquo!” she shouted, but her words were not hers again. A light emitting from her hands glowing a dark green blinded the Sluagh. They stepped back, covering their own eyes.

Not sure it would be enough for a getaway, Alessia gripped the pouch of salt in her hands and threw it at the creatures, who instantly shrieked in agony. She wasted no time running, hearing their shrieks of pain behind her.

She remembered the door was locked before she left the house, but Jaera’s house was not far from town. She picked up the pace despite her chest tightening and her lungs wheezing. The Sluagh were miles away, yet it didn’t calm her down because of how fast they found her in the forest when she ran the first time. She hoped throwing the salt at them slowed them down.

Alessia reached Jaera’s house, pounding on the door. “Open the door! Please!” she screamed. She heard shuffling inside, but no answer. “Jaera, it’s me, Alessia, I need you to open the door!”

“Alessia?” Jaera said. She continued banging on the door until it opened. Jaera grabbed Alessia’s arm, pulled her inside, and shut it frantically. “What the hell were you doing outside?”

Jaera clutched her side, her shoulder also bandaged. “They tricked me. The Sluagh.”

“How?” she demanded.

“Told me one of my cousins was in trouble. I left to save them…”

Jaera shook her head in disbelief. “You absolute fool,” she whispered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “And let me guess, they chased after you.”

“That’s the thing, Jaera, they didn’t run.”

“It doesn’t matter. You still let them get the better of you. I thought you would know since you dealt with them before.”

Alessia felt tears running down her cheeks, unable to make heads or tails of what happened. “She made it sound desperate like they were in grave danger,” she sniffled, but even so, her crying was a losing battle against Jaera’s impatience.

“You never should have stepped a foot out of there!” Jaera snapped. “If you died, your family would be devastated.”

“And so would my aunt and uncle if they lost another child.”

“That was a lie by those creatures to lure you out!” The shaman winced, holding her wound. Alessia stood there, saying nothing. “The Sluagh will not be the cause of your death. You will be the cause of your own death!”

She looked at the older woman in surprise to hear such harsh words. “Why do you say that?”

Jaera shook her head, turning her back to Alessia. “You want to know why?” she asked. “Because you like to wander in the dark.”