Without raising her eyes to him, she continued, “My name’s Angelina Vallebour. I grew up in the family of a potter, Ilona Vallebour, in the province of Arc. But the woman who replaced my mother wasn’t my real mother. I knew that from childhood, but it wasn’t done to talk about it, even to this day. My real mother gave me to Ilona. And every month, she paid her large sums of money, so I would need for nothing. I shouldn’t have known who my parents were. But one day, I overheard the truth.”
The girl paused. Then, she shot a nervous hunted glance at the necromancer.
Reive stiffened feeling how the young graduate’s voice held his attention. It wouldn’t let him go. It forced him to keep listening to her story.
“So, my real mother turned out to be a very influential woman. Duchess Myria Clarian Castro-Arcs. The owner and sovereign of the whole province of the Arc. The sister of His Majesty the King. She concealed my birth because I’m a child born out of wedlock.”
“Well, nothing shameful in that,” the man said, trying to dissipate the clouds in the girl’s eyes. “What’s more, I’d say you should inherit some title, in spite of your parents not being married.”
“But that’s not all,” she sighed and turned away. “I also found out my father’s name.”
Another pause. Much longer than the first one. Reive even wanted to exclaim impatiently – Well, no point dragging this out, after all I don’t know anyone in this world except you!
However, he remained silent, giving her a long while.
“My father turned out to be the King himself...”
The necromancer frowned, remembering that a couple of seconds ago, she had said her mother was a sister to the sovereign. But when the girl said the king’s name, Reive got serious, to put it mildly.
“Gerhard Ayris Castro-Firel,” she finished gloomily. “Lord of the Fourth Kingdom, King of the Sun and Mists. I think now you understand why no one must know about my birth. I’m lucky I wasn’t smothered when I was a baby. If the relationship between the King and his own sister were to be discovered, it would incur the strongest displeasure in the government and the people.”
Reive was grimmer than a hungry ghoul. Angelina pursed her lips, thinking that she had disgusted the necromancer. But at that moment he wasn’t thinking about her incestuous birth. Frankly speaking, that seemed a trifle. It wasn’t the girl’s fault that her mother loved getting laid by her own brother. The necromancer was enraged by something else. So enraged that his hands were shaking and his teeth clenched tight.
King Gerhard had his killer’s surname. Ayris. He was Ulfricus’ descendant. That meant that after his, Reive’s, death, this bastard Ulfricus took the King’s title posthumously. And his offspring had put on the crown and received the titled name – Castro-Firel. His title!
Firel was the name of the castle that Reive had been building for himself for a decade. He had encompassed it with magic, driven the workers and castigated the architects. Every stone knew its true owner – the Undead King.
For seven hundred years after his “death”, his traitor’s descendants had been nesting in this castle. For seven hundred years, during which Reive had been lying in the grave, dreaming of how he’d come back and take revenge. Only one sentence pulsing in his head had preserved his life, I must take vengeance on Ulfricus even if he himself is dead. All his descendants shall answer for his betrayal...
Reive didn’t think about what a stupid plan that was. After all, that vengeance would make no difference at all to his dead enemy. It would be more interesting for Reive to raise him up as some half-witted undead. Then to make him suffer in that afterlife, obeying the orders of his own killer. But, alas, Ulfricus’s body had rotted long ago. Even his bones would not be found.
Reive needed revenge. It was the breath of life for him. He’d been thinking about it for centuries, living and reliving one and the same day. While at the same time, little sharp-toothed jaws were gnawing his flesh. Only his iron will and an incredible lust for life kept him sane. That and the blood bath that he mentally promised his enemies. For Ulfricus must have left some descendants. Bastards like him. For all these years, Reive had been planning to seek out every one of them.
It helped him to survive, to hold on, to keep his sanity and not to go mad from pain.
Now even this last wish had slipped away. Angelina had turned out to be his enemy’s great-granddaughter. This fact completely unsettled him.
No! He couldn’t let the plans that he had cherished for so long simply fade away.
“This must be a real embarrassment to you,” the girl brought him out of his thoughts.
Frowning, Reive looked up at her through narrowed eyes, silently looking into her frightened disturbed face.
What should he say? That he’d been dreaming of killing her for centuries?
The grass-green, mossy pupils drew him down into their depth...
For some reason, the necromancer didn’t like to see her suffer at all.
“I don’t care who your parents were,” he said, gritting his teeth and sighing. “Trust me, little one, the curse should only be on them. Not you.”
The girl’s brow smoothed a little, and the necromancer discovered to his irritation that it made him feel better.
“Really?” she asked.
He nodded and was about to take her hand. At the last moment, he jerked it back, cursing himself inwardly.
“Thank you,” she breathed in relief.
“Why does it seem to me you don’t tell this story to every single person you meet?” he asked then.
“Because it’s really so. We hardly know each other. And we’re scarcely likely to get to know each other better.” Reive held back a grin. He had a rather different opinion about this, but the little one needn’t know that yet. “So, you have nothing to do with me. And I just needed to tell somebody.”
“Glad I could help,” this time, he smiled quite naturally.
Angelina smiled back. She turned round, leaning her arm against the branches. Suddenly, she screamed.
“Oh look! I got scratched,” she gasped.
Time slowed down. Reive closed his eyes feeling the darkness creeping in. He has visions of the past.
He’d began acting weird, as if his sight had suddenly unfocused. Then, his face reflected deep despair. I wanted to touch it and run my finger over the slightly down-turned corners of his eyes until his confident mocking expression returned, with the light predatory gleam in its very depth.I didn’t know what came over me but I raised my hand and touched his palm. It was so smooth and hot... For just a moment, an unjustified irrational anxiety exploded in my breast. Then, through the nerves on the tips of my fingers, little lightning bolts began to spark. The longer I didn’t pulling my hand away, the stronger this strange sparkling tension grew between us.Nevertheless, I could be satisfied with my action. The confusion and the oppressive misunderstanding disappeared from the man’s eyes. Now, his eyes were flaming. He was looking only at me. It seemed that it was about to burn me to ashes.No one had ever looked at me like that before. An
“Sure,” Reive nodded calmly, gesturing to the monster. “Put it here and go out. Wait outside and guard the entrance. And don’t you try to stick your nose in here. See how you’re scaring the lady!” The necromancer gestured with his hand and the horrid scream-producing zombie gave me a nod. A cold wave ran down my spine. For a second, a blood-red flame flashed in his eye sockets. Then, everything became as it was before. It occurred to me that this zombie was very lucky: he still had his eyeballs. Now they were yellow-grey, with black pupils. From a distance, they might seem quite normal. If they didn’t flash with such a hungry red light, of course. I desperately wanted to huddle against Reive. To seize his hand, to hide behind his back which didn’t shudder like mine from each movement of the zombie. Then, I realized: a man who could raise the undead was much more dangerous than the undead he raised. I shifted my gaze to
What’s happened?” the girl asked anxiously.The necromancer clenched his teeth. It seemed like he was going crazy.Was this a side effect of being raised from the dead? Or was it because of the damned locusts who’d been finishing him off for seven hundred years?“It’s okay. I just remembered something unpleasant,” he said, scarcely hearing himself. His gaze was focused a little to the left of the girl – to the place where once again his old enemy was standing. Damn Ulfricus Ayris, smiling repulsively.Yet, Angelina obviously didn’t see anyone.Reive slowly closed his eyes, mentally ordering the spirit to get lost. To the place ordained for traitors.“And where is the place for people like you, Reivy?” the ghost smirked.The necromancer opened his eyes, but that asshole Ulfricus didn’t disappear. Inste
The remains of the fire glowed drearily before my eyes. The sun was going down, and I was no longer thinking that I had spent the whole day with a stranger who was really strange. That I had almost slept with him in a bear’s lair. That I had almost died from a seizure. And now, I’m watching the dying embers with him in the company of an undead called Zomzom.For the first time in a long while, I was feeling calm and comfortable. Even though everything should have been the other way round, I felt good. I had already told Reive the history of my own birth. I told him something that no one else had ever heard from me during the five years I studied at the Academy. During my whole life! So, there was no point in holding back from telling what will happen.“In a month, there will be a royal wedding,” I uttered gloomily. “My birth father has found a new fiancée. And now, all the rich and high-born people are gathering in the
“It just can’t be,” I gasped, looking into the mocking dark-brown eyes. “The descendant of the very King of the Dead? Can I touch you?”I carefully put my hand on his knee.What was going on in my head? Something like “there’s a great necromancer’s blood in his veins! I’m touching a legend!”In fact, everything looked rather strange. Reive stiffened, and then he glanced sideways and said with a fixed smile:“Angel, you do remember I’ve got nothing on underneath this coat, don’t you?”I started back in fright, biting my lips nervously. True, he didn’t have anything...Oh, the Dark!The next moment, the necromancer shrieked with laughter. And it seemed to me that I blushed even more.“Don’t worry,” he added with a slightly guilty smile. “That I’m sitting here half-naked is my fault, not yours. So, I’m sorr
“Who’s shy here? You know what this jacket was like? Everyone dreamed of having such a thing! Ah, what do you know anyway?”Reive gave a wave of his hand and huffed angrily. It seemed to me I hadn’t had such fun for a long time.For some time, we just looked silently at each other, and I was even managing to get used to Zomzom’s silent presence. By the way, I began to like his name more and more as if no other name could suit the undead.“Reive, aren’t you going to... kill the zombie?” I said thoughtfully.The undead shifted his scary but altogether too clever gaze to the necromancer.“No way.”The dead eyes flashed red then went dull.“I’ll need a servant and a porter soon,” he continued. “And to expend my energy on raising someone else is...”“To expend your energy on raising the dead?” I snorted. “In such a situa
“Yeah, it’s a tradition.”Now, I shook my head, “What for?”I really didn’t understand this.“Necromancy’s absolutely useless nowadays. Well, you can raise the dead. But who needs that now?”I tried to spread my hands in a gesture of incomprehension, but suddenly, the ring fell through my fingers and dropped down to the bottom of the pond, lost between the thick water plants.“Oh, no!” I exclaimed. “I’m so sorry!” I was about to go into the water when the necromancer stopped me.“Wait, there’s nothing to panic about,” he said calmly, turning to me. “Except that you think necromancers are useless.”Unexpectedly, he frowned. I wouldn’t have thought that the loss of the family ring would distress him less than my opinion about the twilight science.“But really isn’t it so? What use to the wor
Bones and blood… Dark and twilight demons. It’s cold. It’s so cold. No feeling. Cold – at least I’m used to that. The zombie sat motionless six feet from the brightly burning campfire and stared at it with an unblinking gaze. Damn flames. I hate fire. Fire burns my blood. It eats up my spirit.Bursts of orange light were reflecting in the zombie’s dead eyes, causing an uprush of fear in him. The remnants of his brain that still hadn’t decomposed when Reive read the raising invocation called forth clear images. Images of burning yellow tongues on his hands and breast. Hungry fire greedily devouring his passively rotting flesh. And blood-red eyes flashing with evil crimson magic.The zombie had to obey. The rabbit’s body was laying at his feet. The animal’s skin wasn’t damaged anywhere.The zombie easily caught the rabbit. Zomzom had already recovered his senses after his awakening, and
***Five years later the kingdom of Aldenor was renamed ‘Empire of Shadow’.Reive and Angelina were awarded the titles of emperor and empress. A year later their triplets were born, two boys and a girl. All three possessed a strong dark gift for twilight magic. In time, they entered the academy their mother had founded, CYANIDE— Central YOUNG Academy for Necromantic Ideology and Demonology Education.Therefore, the royal couple introduced a new fashion for necromancy. Henceforth, all influential families in the empire dreamed of sending their children to CYANIDE, still sometimes jokingly called ‘Academy of Death’.Twenty years on, necromancers had become the main combat unit of the army of the Empire of Shadow. Not one of the neighboring states would even dream of transgressing the borders or otherwise offending the continent’s most dangerous empire.Until the day of his death, Reive saw Ulfricus from time to tim
The order in Ashgenrian sounded more powerful and confident that ever before. Shivers ran down my spine.That very second a small pale shadow formed beside me, a few seconds later it acquired an outline.“Byelndevir!” Reive exclaimed, his eyes opening wide. Such a wide smile appeared on his face that I felt truly happy.“I’m sorry I nearly bit your head off,” the little spirit said, spreading his wings. Real ones, not bones.The dragon was of human size and so took up an impressive amount of space. However, that was nothing in comparison to his former dimensions. I knew his size could now be changed at will – bigger or smaller.“Fantastic!” the necromancer gasped and struggled, then succeeded to stand up from the bed. He went up to the ghost and carefully touched his wing, as if they were blood brothers. “And I didn’t take offense, my friend.”It seemed to me that
“Yes, it can.” I nodded, “When the dead opened their mouths to sing, the earth was filled with the voices of Twilight itself. It was horrifying and amazing at the same time. With each second that passed more and more ghosts appeared. Their numbers grew and quickly surpassed the numbers of the Union Army. They were dressed like military, in ancient cuirass and such like armor. Their sounds were like thunder as they moved amongst the troops of our enemies. Then the living dead on our side moved into their ranks, joining in the song, but not attacking. The warriors of the Union soon began to throw down their weapons and retreat. Several spirits surrounded each of them, shaking their swords and drawing closer as if they were thirsty for the kill.I sighed deeply, shaking off dark thoughts and continued, “And Ulfricus appeared beside me. He introduced himself, I hadn’t known what he would look like. The druid smiled sadly, laid his hand on my shoulder
hree months have passed since I became Queen of Aldenor. Reive has spent the best part of this time lolling about in bed and has only now begun to rise himself. See, I’ve taken upon myself the none-too-easy burden of governing the country.To tell the truth it hasn’t been very enjoyable. Especially having to resolve conflicts with the not inconsiderable number of disgruntled people who wanted to see someone else in power. I had much help. Advisors, mages, military leaders. Those who had come across to our side when things had quieted down a little. When it had become clear that we had a rightful claim to the throne. Reive was the enthroned ruler who had never renounced his crown. And I... I was the Gerhard Ayris’ bastard. The only illegitimate daughter of the recently deceased king.This became widely known not just to the highborn nobles, but to the common people. And, as I understand, not without the help of Asper Glane.The day after t
There were screams of horror from somewhere to the side. I turned round and saw the gates finally open and the drawbridge come fully down. Now, crowds of the transformed undead – frightening, strong and dangerous – were slowly crawling out. Even from here I could see their empty eye sockets flash with hunger and hear their sharp teeth clatter in their skulls.However, the undead weren’t hurrying to attack. There was no longer anyone to give them the order.I began to panic. I closed my eyes and forced myself to slowly breathe out.My hands were shaking. The chain in my hand was twitching, its links rattling barely audibly.Suddenly, behind my lowered eyelids I saw the threads of the Dark. In their hundreds and thousands, they were stretching out from Reive to the subjugated undead. They were chattering and tightening, demanding the order that couldn’t come.Nevertheless, there was also something else. Almost unnoticeable. Al
Dark and Twilight, how could this happen? Why?!“Duchess Myria Clarian Castro-Arcs broke away from the ranks of the main army and raced through the rows of our zombies under her own initiative,” Glein answered gloomily, drawing his sword uncertainly.It seemed I had asked the last question aloud. The garrison commander, Reive man who had been covering our rear all this time, didn’t know what he should do now. How he could bear arms against the woman he had formerly sworn to protect. Gerhard Ayris’s sister, the Princess of Aldenor.Also her own brother’s lover and my mother. Nevertheless, it was hardly likely that would be known to anyone.“And all this for the sake of killing Reive?” I moaned, struggling to help Glein keep the necromancer on his feet.The Undead King lost consciousness, and I could feel how heavy he was. I wanted to make a joke like: ‘you couldn’t tell by the look
Angelina smiled confusedly but didn’t let him distract her, “You must stop this battle. Right now. You started it, so you stop it.”Reive pursed his lips, thoughtfully rubbing his chin with one hand while continuing to hold Angelina’s wrist with the other, “Hmm... The battle’s already started. The Council is continuing its attack despite the throne guardian’s death,” he was deliberating. “I suppose either they don’t know that, or someone else is acting as supreme commander. But...” he made a short pause and then smiled and winked at the girl. “But I have a plan.”He clicked his fingers and the canopy of the Dark above them dispersed like mist.“Your Dark Majesty, it’s dangerous,” broke in Glein, standing at a respectful distance from Reive all this time. “The arrows, the magic, the flying beasts. We may not reach the walls of the fortress.”He looke
The Ashgenrian words left Reive’s lips, immediately breaking the higher undead’s attachment spell. Now, Biellendevir was attached neither to him nor to Angelina.The huge beast opened his mouth wide and cried aloud. A terrifying roar tore through the surroundings, freezing the wide-open eyes of the soldiers and chilling the hearts of the living.A bloody film clouded the gaze of the higher undead. No one controlled him now.It was no longer the same Biellen the necromancer’d known all his life. It was a higher undead, incredibly strong and incredibly hungry.“Forgive me,” Reive repeated, creating a ghostly noose and throwing it over the dragon’s neck.One movement – and the huge monster’s head drooped, his bones creaking.Biellendevir was roaring, making sounds like the howl of the cursed Abyss. No one dared to approach the three of them at that moment. Neither the enemy’s soldiers nor th
All the last day flashed by like a whirlwind before the eyes of the necromancer. He saw himself coming out of Angelina’s room. He saw the broken potion bottle, and Zomzom’s crippled body hidden behind the flight of stairs.The necromancer didn’t have any time to search for the killer just then. He ordered the zombie brought to his laboratory, promising himself he would find the brazen mage who had decided to make such a stupid joke with his personal servant.Now, the puzzle had come into place. This brazen mage was Livia Rendan. She had turned out to be a much stronger opponent than he had realized. The woman hadn’t only been able to delay the effect of the curse but with time might manage to completely neutralize it. Reive saw she was already able to speak perfectly well and even get to her feet. It was worthy of admiration. Reive had always respected strength of mind.However, Livia didn’t want to live. She had something els