Times Are Changing (Juliette)

(storytelling collective mini writing prompt: The Villain Returns)

 Never in my life did I think I would have to deal with the same necromancer twice, in fact dealing with necromancers at all was not on my list of things to do when I first joined the blades. I am here primarily to collect information, sometimes publish that information, and generally be a spy, not an exterminator. 

 

Muttering to myself I trudge through the rain across the bridge from the imperial city to the gated entrance of the Arcane University, thankfully the guard lets me in without much trouble. Most of the imperial mages are busy with their heads stuck in books or writing papers, except for a familiar face that sits in a corner casually waiting. “I can see Jauffre passed along my note.” Isabelle stands and shakes my hand as I approach my dear friend. “He did indeed, and what’s this about a necromancer you needed help with?” She looks around cautiously before suggesting we move downstairs to a quieter area, a good idea given no one ever really knows who might be listening.

 “It’s Mannimarco, the archmage thinks he’s up to something and Jauffre told me you knew him at some point and to see if you could help.” If I remember correctly, Mannimarco should be very much out of the picture…then again, the warp in the west was mind boggling in more ways than one, and I still can’t completely remember what really happened with it. With a sigh, I agree, I’ll help but only under promise that I get something out of the deal. Used to such situations Issy agrees before pulling out a map and laying it on the table nearby pointing out Mannimarco’s last known location. The scheming villain has returned, but hopefully not for long.

After much hunting, many dead ends, and a lot of trial and error with a few unrelated misadventures in between Isabelle and I finally track down Mannimarco and his cult. “Hey asshole, I thought you turned into the moon!” The lich king turns at my comment and gives a smug grin and a wave, somehow he looks different to when I last saw him, and in a way that isn’t simply from time passing. 

 

In the end I suppose he gets his wish for godhood with death, if he is in fact truly dead. Examining the body it looks dead as a doornail, but he’s returned before and I wouldn’t put it past him to try again. Issy and I cremate the body just to be sure one of his followers doesn’t attempt to reanimate it and scatter the ashes to the wind. All in a hard days work, though I wish I had more hard days sorting important files and confidential papers instead of fighting the undead…it gets very tiring.