Page 39 of To Love A Monster
“I foresaw her death when she and Halla sought me out.” I watched carefully as he pulled the vial free from his neck. Aylin lay secured in his arm as he pinched the top of the glass vial. A fierce wind blew around me as everyone except Aylin, and the Necromancer seemed to fade away.
“I offer you a piece of my soul to give back the life taken from you.” He gently pressed the vial to her lips, the liquid flowing into her as smoke rose into the air after the fires burned out. The sky turned dark as he began to mutter a magical language, the ruins etched into his skin starting to glow faintly as Aylin’s skin regained its color, her skin beginning to shine as the Necromancer continued the spell.
As Aylin healed, the Necromancer suffered. The vial's soft glow dimmed along with his ruins' brilliance. His black hair was now streaked with grey, and his delicate features aged slightly. He truly was giving her part of his soul, risking his own life just as she had many times for others.
The air left my lungs as Aylin gasped and cried back to life, her eyes shooting open as she struggled to catch her breath. The Necromancer stood and held Aylin out, her eyes darting around as I took her in my arms and held her close, my tears no longer freezing as they ran down my cheeks. “Aylin.” I kissed her lips as I felt a tap on my shoulder, my father giving me a weak smile as he offered to take Aylin.
“Thank you,” I said as I turned towards the Necromancer, his hood again over his face as he carefully nodded his head before turning to leave. “You are welcomed here among my people.”
“I belong to no one, young Chief.” I did not take offense to his words, for I understood why he stayed away from others. He was a creature of dark magic, but in those small moments, I saw a pure heart as he gave Aylin life.
“Wait!” A raspy voice called out as I watched Kaall, the eldest of my clan, reach out and grab his hand. “I am ready to meet death. Please—take me with you.”
“What is the meaning of this, Kaall?”
“I am old, Chief Daegon. I do not wish to see any more summers or see any more of my loved ones die. I am ready for death; I welcome it with a smile and open arms.” I approached Kaall and hugged him tightly, remembering when he used to be the best archer among the warriors. He had lost his mate many winters before, and his two sons were still unmated.
“If this is your wish, I will not stand in your way.” The Necromancer waited patiently as everyone said their goodbyes to Kaall, the moment filled with sadness but also hope. Kaall was ready for death, and those that cherished him were not standing in his way. He had lived a full and good life for a warrior, but his once strong and virial body was now hunched over and full of the pain of his life.
“Are you ready?” The Necromancer held out his hand as Kaall took it with a smile on his wrinkled lips, his eyes closing as he accepted the kiss of death. Younglings cried, and many villages gasped as we watched Kaalls soul slowly separate from his body. It was a beautiful sight that was seen maybe once in a century or never at all.
He was young again, his body no longer frail, and his mind no longer addled with the long years he spent at war with the Night Frost Clan. The fog started enveloping them, a strong wind blowing around the village, taking Kaall and the Necromancer away. The fog lifted, and the snow began to fall lightly once again as a hint of the sun showed through the clouds.
Kaalls sons, Xorag and Zalthu, carefully took their father’s lifeless body back to his home, everyone already preparing for the burial feast. I rushed back to my mate as fast as I could, my heart soaring with love as I saw Aylin lying among clean furs on our bed, our beautiful children in her arms.
“They are beautiful.” Her eyes filled with tears as I carefully sat beside her on the bed, my arm going around her shoulders as I felt more than grateful to have her back. “I am sorry I left you—even if it was for a moment.”
“You are here, and our young ones are here. Everything is now perfect.” Kissing her lips, I felt more than grateful for the gift I had been given. Aylin was dead, her soul had left her body, and the Necromancer had given us a tremendous gift. The gift of life. He wanted nothing in return and left us in no debt to him, but a part of me knew that was not the last night. Our paths would cross.
“What should we name them?” Aylin asked as she handed me my daughter, her tiny noises like pure music. I was a father, a feat that I feared would never come. I was worried that I had been cursed by a former lover, cursed to never know pure love and happiness. Those fears were now dead as I held my sweet child in my hands, my eyes looking over every inch of her. I kissed her tiny nose before handing her back to Aylin, their cries alerting us that they were hungry.
“What name would you choose for our son? In our clan, it is custom for the mothers to name their sons.” Aylin sat quietly for several moments, a smile forming on her face as our babies latched to her breast for feeding.
“Your father told me once of his brother, the one who was killed by the Night Frost Clan. I want to honor his memory by naming our son after him. He will bring a new life to the name Jhaeros.”
“My father will be honored that you have chosen to name him after such a powerful warrior and a fine orc as him. My uncle was unmatched on the battlefield and in the sparring rings. I know our son will live up to his name.” Aylin carefully handed Jhaeros to me after his feeding, my thumb running over his cheek as I felt as if I were dreaming.
“It is your turn. What name would you give our daughter?”
“My mother named me using her name and my father’s name. I want to honor that tradition with the name Daelyn. Do you approve?” Aylin smiled as she agreed, her body resting on mine as we held our beautiful young ones. I had not realized it until that moment, as I sat with my mate and our small family, that I was truly happy. I knew that most felt this way, but I truly believe I was the luckiest orc in my clan. I had a true mate that I loved, and she loved me. I was a father to two very beautiful younglings.
I knew not where life would take us, but I knew my old life of selfishness was forever gone. I now lived my life for Aylin, Jhaeros, and Daelyn. They were my life now, and I would cherish each moment as if it were my last.
THE END
