𓍯 4:35 AM, 25th of Dustseam, 3 DE 𓍯
Eastern Region
Kelran Lands
NECIA gazed into the distance and was greeted with a vast expanse of white sand. The only living thing in sight aside from her at that moment was a hawk soaring across the sky. The necromancer watched as it flew across the clouds and made its way down to a cluster of trees in the distance.
There were moments when a desire for changes awakened within her. What kind of change, you ask. You might assume that Necia was yearning for revenge given the way she had dealt with Minari. But this was different; the kind of change that she hoped for went beyond that of inflicting harm upon those who had previously wronged her or her loved ones.
Besides, Minari was not in any way related to the conflict that occurred within their homeland many, many decades ago. Minari was a mere object of interest for Necia, who had heard many tales about her from her allies or to put it more clearly, her servants who she had brainwashed into serving her with a loyalty that could rarely be found even in the most prominent empires or villages, the black-hooded figures who would roam the place with said clothing so that other people would be too intimidated to approach them or interfere with their work. This was their way of protecting themselves, to prevent interrogation. They were aware their get-up made them look ghoulish, as if they were a cult that worshiped animals, especially dragons and snakes which was conveyed by the serpent-like symbols inflicted on their right wrists. Though it was all an act, an act to make outsiders steer clear of them.
Clearly, it worked as Minari was on her guard when she was in their presence. Necia knew that Minari had a keen eye and would notice quickly the dragon tattoo on her right wrist. She had purposely revealed that part of her skin for her to see.
Necia smiled to herself upon recalling her encounter with the ninja hours ago. Minari was indeed very powerful, very strong. Someone worthy of pulverizing. Though she seemed to be extremely sensitive to magic damage, the ninja quickly recovered and was able to withstand her whirlwind slice spell without losing consciousness.
It would normally take an individual days or weeks to wake up after being struck by a spell or weapon cast by the Lost Necromancer. Or in certain cases, the individual would never reawaken. Though for Minari, it took her less than five hours to regain consciousness. What an exceptional woman, indeed.
The smile on her face widened at this realization, that as days passed more and more powerful opponents were emerging from the surface; these opponents she intended to either destroy or keep for herself. Necia possessed a power that could not only invade their mental space; she also had the power to manipulate their behavior at her will. That was another thing Necia noticed during her encounter with Minari, the ninja who nearly every kingdom had targeted for some reason or another. Necia attempted to control her body, to manipulate her actions though it was a futile attempt that filled her with an irritation she had never felt before. To know that the ninja was fully aware of what she was trying to do at that time further spiked her madness.
This madness had risen a long time ago. But it had been concealed within her spirit for centuries as she had little contact with the outside world. That was, indeed, until Minari suddenly came into the picture. She defeated every individual who had trespassed within her vicinity, all except for that ninja. The necromancer gritted her teeth at the idea of somebody being superior to her in the battlefield. Whether it was out of admiration, envy, or hatred, Necia wanted Minari to return soon.
But if she did not do so, then Necia would find ways for them to cross paths again herself. Necia hated it when her opponents did not suffer enough. The ninja left with barely a scratch on her aside from being knocked unconscious with that stupid brick and struck in the chest with an Intermediate-level wind attack spell.
A new opponent that actually battled against Necia and lived to tell the tale. Interesting. Very, very, very interesting.
"It will be only a matter of time before we meet again, Minari," Necia spoke to the air. "Just a matter of time before I find you. When I find you, I will have my way with you. When I have my way with you, you will regret wishing that you ever stepped foot on my territory. You foolish, pompous, senseless girl, that is a promise I intend to keep."
Necia heard the sound of footsteps behind her. She smiled to herself and spoke up before the other person could do so. "Yes, Trina? You need something?"
Trina joined Necia at the outskirts of the cave that they had been inhabitants of for the past decade now. She heaved a sigh. "It's nothing, Mistress."
Necia looked at her assistant, a human of striking beauty who appeared to be extremely young, just like Necia herself. Though in reality she was just as old as she was. In a way their kind was like vampires; they appeared to never age. The differences were far greater, though.
Their weakness was not garlic or sunlight. Their only weakness was an aspect of the world that many regarded as simple. Yet for them it was a danger, a threat, something that they wish they could eradicate forever.
Necia searched Trina's face, which betrayed very little emotion. But somehow the necromancer managed to see through her. That was her ability, something that made Trina feel comforted and conscious at the same time.
Trina felt her mistress' eyes boring into her face. "Is this about Minari, hmmm, Trina?"
Trina cast Necia a furtive glance. "I'm just afraid that as time passes more and stronger opponents will come to face us. And if that ever happens..." She looked away, biting her lip.
Necia let out a long sigh and started walking towards the entrance that led to their cave. "Come with me, Trina."
She looked over her shoulder at Trina, who was watching her with interest. The necromancer gestured for her to follow and they set off on their journey.
The two women walked on in silence, with one immersed in her own ruminations while the other wondering where in the world they were headed.
They had been walking for nearly half an hour. Although Trina did not feel tired from the long walk, she was starting to grow impatient. Necia must have sensed this because she told her, "We're almost there."
Trina nodded in response as they made their way up to a steep hill. And there was not much that she could do about it, anyways, since going back to their territory would possibly take just as long, if not longer to do. When Necia reached the top of the hill, she looked at Trina who followed from a distance.
The necromancer gave her a crooked smile, to which the other woman responded with an inquisitive look. "What are we doing in the middle of nowhere, on top of this hill?" Trina asked and regretted it an instant later.
But thankfully, the mistress seemed to be in a bright mood. A smile formed on her lips, a rare sight to behold on any occasion. Necia ushered her to come over and Tricia did so with trepidation. "Come see for yourself, Trina. Now this... This right here is the one thing that keeps me moving."
The moment when Trina reached the top of the hill, she immediately understood what Necia had meant.
Trina sucked in a breath at the sight that greeted her. Necia smiled at her reaction, the corners of her green eyes turning up in the process. Trina gaped at the vicinity which comprised a fair portion of the Kelran Lands, though this was an area that had long been forgotten by mankind and most of the other creatures that inhabited the place.
Forgotten, yes, but not exactly abandoned.
The vicinity was teeming with a myriad of flowers, some species of which she recognized while the others she was unfamiliar with. Greenery such as bushes, plants filled with fruits, trees of various kinds from oak to pine to some types that she had not seen in the longest time. Trina's green eyes continuously raked over the place. This was a place that they had once inhabited. The necromancers. Trina was a human, but she knew very well how the homeland of the necromancers looked. It was described vividly in the books that she had pored over when she was a kid.
Yes, Trina had a life before meeting Necia, the Lost Necromancer who was named so because she was said to be the only one of her kind to survive the War of the Peculiars, which claimed millions of lives of the humans that did not belong to any empire as well as the necromancers, Necia's kind. A life that she regarded as mundane, but that all changed in the blink of an eye when she first met Necia, whom she willingly served up until the present time. In exchange for her faithful service, Necia granted Trina the blessing of eternal youth, that she may never age even as centuries pass by.
Though they were independent from the empires and kingdoms, the humans that battled against the necromancers had a powerful army of more than five million. The weaponry that they had in possession were unique; they were advanced in technology which them gave an advantage in the battlefield. Aside from that they were intelligent and resourceful, having discovered a great deal of things before anybody else. It was as if they were from a different planet, or perhaps they were from the future and were visiting that time with a purpose to interfere with the situations then.
Though many scholars had agreed that the main reason for their visiting was evidently to destroy the necromancers, if it were really the case that they had come from somewhere in the future. These were people that even the most powerful kingdoms at that time went out of great lengths to avoid dealing with. In truth, they were just as badly shunned as the necromancers who had never been accepted by outsiders.
This was why the homeland of the necromancers was situated far away from human civilization, far away from even the sight of the orcs. Nobody wanted them. Truly, the only allies that the necromancers had were themselves; the case was evidently the same for the group that took a great interest in them with a purpose that turned out to be one of wickedness. And it was also said that the homeland of the necromancers had long been neglected ever since the war ended.
Though why is it that this place looks so brand new, so fresh, so... well-tended?
Trina looked at her Mistress, whose smile had never left her face as she stared at the former. "Necia, how is this possible?" Trina asked, her eyes as wide as baseballs. "It was said that this vicinity had long been neglected ever since... since..." Her voice suddenly trailed off; she felt hesitant to open up such a sensitive subject for the necromancer.
Necia nodded in understanding, clearly comprehending what she was about to tell her. "Indeed, the homeland of the necromancers had long been neglected... by mankind, by the orcs, by the vampires... even the werewolves." Necia paused as a smile formed on her lips. "But it has yet to be forgotten by the One who granted us these powers, the One that made us who we are. I am firm in my conviction that he will never forget us."
Trina's eyes widened as these words sank in. It dawned on her at that moment that nobody had bothered to come here after the War of the Peculiars came to a close. This was probably the reason why it was said in nearly every textbook that she got her hands on in her years as an Academy student, that it had long been neglected...
Indeed, it had long been forgotten, that was, by those who inhabited the other parts of the Kelran Lands and were not in any way related to the necromancers. Indeed, the land was claimed to have been an abandoned place by even the rulers of the kingdoms themselves, which gave everyone in the domain a good reason to lose interest and never venture into that area. They forgot to mention the detail that the Master to whom the necromancers dedicated their lives was watching over the very place that had rightfully belonged to the dark magic-wielding pariahs.
Though in a way the land still did belong to them. Because the spirit of their Master resided within this land. It never left. Trina leaned back in surprise again, her eyes scanning the breathtaking view again as if afraid of losing memory of its appearance. She looked at Necia, who stared off into the distance with a serious expression. Though unlike before her eyes were dancing with a passion that Trina seldom witnessed.
Necia heaved a sigh. "This, Trina... This land right here is my source of inspiration. Whenever I feel discouraged, lost, or perhaps mad, coming here gives me a sense of peace. A sense of peace that I seldom experience since the War that destroyed my loved ones."
Trina nodded in response but she remained silent. "So that explains it, then," she said aloud without realizing it herself. "That explains the sudden disappearances. When you say you need to run some errands, this is where you go. Right?"
The necromancer nodded with a smile. "Right." Then her smile vanished in that same instant but the light shining in the green eyes radiated with a conveyance of promise. "The spirit of the Master resides in me, Trina. I can feel him. His presence, his voice calling my name and telling me what steps to take. The Master will lead me in the right direction as he has always been doing. Therefore, whatever doubts you have regarding our present situation, you can clear them from your head now. Truly, I know that whatever he has planned for us, it will bring something better than what we've expected. And I'm certain that I will cross paths with her once more one day."
A sense of uneasiness snatched Trina's heart as she heard these words. It took a mere fraction of a second for Trina to understand that her was Minari. She had seen a sense of peace and reassuring comfort in Minari's eyes that she hadn't seen in her centuries of roaming the Kelran Lands and serving Necia. As much as Minari was their enemy, she was hoping silently that the ninja, a fellow human, would not be hurt during their next encounter. Or killed.
Or worst of all, manipulated to be one of the Lost Necromancer's slaves and do anything that Necia instructed... Until the woman no longer even had a body of her own.