šÆ 8:15PM, 24th of Dustseam, 3 DE šÆ
Eastern Region
Kelran Lands
MINARI awoke to the piercing sound of knives being sharpened. She opened her eyes slowly and was met with an unfamiliar ceiling tainted in newly-coated green paint. Then, she shifted her attention to the source of the sound.
Sitting on a stool was a woman dressed in black. Black robes, black slacks. Even her shoes were black though they looked as if they had just been beaten to a pulp.
Then all of a sudden, everything that happened moments ago came flooding back to her. The cave. The hooded figures. The mysterious mage with wind manipulation powers.
Minari sat up and tried to avoid getting the woman's attention. Though she failed as a groan escaped her lips. A sharp pain stabbed at her ribcage, which caused the woman to look in her direction. The stranger stopped what she was doing.
"It's about time you have woken up," a sultry voice greeted her.
Minari let out another groan in response as her body, feeling as heavy as led, sank into the cold mattress. She found it difficult to speak for some reason. The same sensation of sand being stuffed into her mouth returned. What feeling is this?
She looked at the woman who rose to her feet and sat next to her on the edge of the bed which was large enough to fit five Junko wrestlers.
"Are you all right, Miss?" the woman asked, surprising Minari with her kindness. Minari had the urge to say, 'Does it look like I am okay?' Though evidently doing so might lead her into more trouble. She was in unfamiliar territory; therefore, she needed to act rationally and behave. The last thing she wanted was to be fed to the cheetahs for giving attitude to a mysterious woman dressed in black robes.
The woman had taken off the mask from her lips, placing it around her neck, so Mina was able to see the face beneath it. Minari was astonished at how pretty the woman she looked. She appeared to be in her late twenties, perhaps several years older than herself. With dazzling blue eyes, light skin, and pink lips, the woman exuded the most peaceful aura that Minari had ever felt. She suddenly forgot that she was in the territory of potential enemies.
"Ah, I am hurt..." Minari said when she remembered that the woman asked her a question. Somehow she regained the ability to speak though the uneasy feeling in her throat was mildly present. She pointed to her ribcage wordlessly, hoping that the woman would get the message. The woman chuckled softly at this. "Let me get something for you."
Minari watched as the strange woman left the room. She shifted her position on the mattress until she was comfortable enough, and started to ponder on the recent events. Why was she suddenly being tended to as if she were an ally? Just earlier the hooded figures were so bent on harming her. But then Minari remembered the way she was being dealt with. It was as if they were not intending to harm her; rather, they were planning to capture her or lure her into the cave. The question was, why?
The pretty green-eyed woman returned ten minutes later with a cloth, a tub, and some strange type of ointment. She applied the ointment, a sticky white liquid, onto the cloth before dipping it into the tub filled with cold water. Then she looked at Minari, who recoiled slightly as she reached out to her. The woman smiled at this. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you."
"How do I know for sure you are not lying?" Minari asked softly. The woman let out a laugh at this.
"If I were planning to harm you, I would have hurt you the very moment you woke up. You idiot."
Minari stared at the mysterious woman in shock. Then again, she did have a point.
She nodded slowly at the woman who flashed her a smirk while placing the cloth on her forehead. Minari moaned lightly when it met her skin, sending a cool sensation throughout her face. Within a minute, the pain from her ribcage had vanished. Whatever the ointment did, it did the trick. It was as if Minari had never felt pain earlier. She looked up at the woman who stared back coolly. Minari resisted the urge to avert her gaze.
"What kind of ointment was that?" Mina asked.
The woman gave her another smirk. "Love ointment."
Minari stared at her incredulously, which made the woman break into laughter. This woman was pretty. Though she was also insane.
"Come on, hurry up. The queen is waiting for you. You will need to wear these," the woman said, turning serious while giving her a pair of black clothing. It was the very attire that she herself was wearing. Why in the world did they need to dress in that kind of clothing? Was it a uniform?
Minari was about to ask her this very question though the woman beat her to it. "Let us save those questions you have for later. We need to be there in ten minutes. Please, please, please. The queen does not like to be kept waiting."
The tone in the mysterious woman's voice was laced with desperation; it made Minari curious. The woman did not seem to have a single bone of fear in her body, yet simply talking about the queen seemed to unnerve her for some reason.
So they have their own queen... a leader, Minari thought. Curiosity started to get the best of the ninja, who rose from the mattress and started to undress under the stranger's watchful eye. Evidently, she was making sure that Mina would not attempt to attack her or escape.
Perhaps the queen she had just mentioned was the one with wind manipulation abilities. The one that hit her with a brick that seemed to be loaded with steel. She was excited to discuss that with the user before engaging in a duel with her and in the process teaching her a lesson to avoid inflicting that kind of harm on her again. But upon remembering the severity of the situation the eagerness had vanished.
Minari did as told and followed the woman out of the room hurriedly, afraid of getting lost in the cave that she had yet to explore on her own. As expected, the cave was filled with many turns and twists. Peculiar creatures like spiders that had twelve or more legs passed by without so much as a glance at them. Though the woman was unfazed by this as they made their way through the maze of corridors which were lit up by torches that had been placed on the walls.
The woman cast her a reassuring smile before she placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her to move more quickly.
Who knows, this could be their way of targeting her weakness before they destroyed her as a whole. They could be one of those enemies that took pleasure in feeding on the fear of their prey, which further heightened their appetites before they consumed them. Though looking at the woman with her, they seemed to be far from the cannibalistic type.
Minari just needed to trust that the woman was telling the truth; there was nothing else that she could really do. If ever they attempted to attack her again Minari would be prepared for that. She was always on guard in the presence of other people, even when in the company of friends and the most trusted allies of the Queen of the Wutherian Empire. It was something she had taught herself. Trust nobody or risk your own life.
Upon arriving in a vast space where multitudes of black-hooded figures seemed to be waiting (possibly for her), Minari gulped, the beating of her heart quickening to such a great extent that she could hear her own heartbeat vibrating in her eardrums. The figures were sitting on the floor, their legs crossed in an Indian-style position as if they were elementary school students preparing to listen to a lecture from their teacher.
Minari suddenly wondered why she was making such comparisons when the ideal elementary school setting was far from ominous, compared to where she was at that moment. Other figures were standing, leaning against the wall with their arms crossed across their chests in a defensive manner. So these figures had control over their own bodies. The queen was not controlling them, was she? What an absurd idea! If that were the case, however, then that would give Mina all the more a reason to be on guard.
All eyes were suddenly on her as she followed the woman to the center and front of the room where a hooded figure was sitting on a chair. Minari was brought to reality when she saw this particular person. Aside from the black clothing, this figure seemed to have a more confident stance than the others around them. She also had a crown, a golden object with dragon and snake symbols carved into it, placed atop her head.
So this was their queen... If a queen was what you called the leader of a cult. From what Minari saw, the black-robed figures made up a peculiar organization that worshipped dragons and possibly even other animals. She based it off the dragon tattoo that she had seen on the wrist of the woman who had knocked her to the point of her unconsciousness. To add to that she noticed, more than once, the numerous creatures that lurked within the vicinity. Anyone would be terrified at the sight of them yet the woman who had brought her to this very room was unaffected. Meaning, it was a common sight for her.
Minari could only see a strand of black-brown hair sticking out from the hood of the queen. She tried gazing into her mask though all she could see was a pair of coal-black eyes staring back at her with an intensity that frightened her. With a steely look in her own brown eyes, she reached for the knife in her pocketāto make sure that she had something to defend herself in case a fight occurs once more. She needed to be prepared.
And Minari's heart sank to her stomach when she realized that the weapon she was looking for was missing. She reprimanded herself upon remembering that she had changed into black robes before coming here. So it was possibly the case that she left the weapon in the room where she had awoken. Either that or they already confiscated her of her weapons while she was still in a deep slumber. Though it did not really make a differenceāhow she had lost her weapons. Minari needed to rely on her magic powers to defend herself. It was a second option that she vied for when all physical combat weapons were out of sight or useless.
Minari felt her heartbeat slow down for some reason, the closer they got to the queen. Though she kept her eyes trained on this woman, who was so still that she wondered if she was a mere statue.
The pretty woman that had accompanied Minari and tended to her wounds earlier froze in front of the queen reverently. Minari forced herself to do the same and for a long moment she engaged in what appeared to others as a staring contest with the queen. It was Miss Royalty herself that broke the silence with the silky voice that she heard moments before passing out earlier. Minari was definitely not prepared for the words that came out.
"Oh! At last, an assassin from the Wutherian Empire has arrived and found me in this cave... at the concealed, outermost corners of this wicked domain."
Murmurs reverberated throughout the room, accompanied by shouts and whispers of surprise. The woman beside Minari reacted with astonishment as she cast a disbelieving glance in her direction.
Apparently, she had no idea who Minari was until the queen mentioned who she was. Good thing. She probably would have ripped her to pieces the moment she woke up if she already knew who she was then.
"Madam Minari, how nice of you to come here..." the queen said with so much warmth that Minari started to question if she was truly a bad guy and if they were planning to kill her.
Dude... Did she just say Madam Minari? Great, now I feel old!
"Welcome, my darling. Welcome to my humble abode."
"You know who I am," Minari said stupidly. The woman beside her slowly stepped away from her as if she were a plague that must be avoided in order to prevent some kind of chronic sickness.
The woman on the chair emitted the happiest laugh she had ever heard. In another situation she would have laughed along with her. Though the sound awakened her senses and sent chills down her spine.
The woman seemed to sense this as she stopped laughing, though a smile formed on her lips. Minari felt the urge to knock off the smile with her fists. Though she could not underestimate this woman or what she was capable of. For all she knew the woman possessed the ability to control objects and manipulate her body in any way that she saw fit.
"Of course I know you," she answered, her voice laced with amusement. "Who has yet to hear of the assassin that slayed her own trusted ally, hmm?"
Minari tensed up at hearing these words. So she does not know the true story, she thought. Then again only several people knew the truth about what happened.
A pang hit the ninja upon remembering the death of her friend, Rain. It was during their mission to stop Cai, one of the loyal servants of Queen Voxciera, from killing Kelan, the future King of the Wutherian Empire. Though they had managed to rescue Kelan, Cai attempted to kill the prince with her ice powers. Rain had gotten in the way to shield Kelan from the attack, which worked. Though Rain herself died in the process. It was a misunderstanding, a wrongdoing that many blamed Mina; for when Wutherian Empire guards arrived to fetch them, aside from Kelan who was too injured to even move, she was the only one with Rain at that moment.
Forcing herself to forget the incident, Mina let out a groan of irritation, which made the woman smile. Mina regained her strength and will to speak as she opened her mouth. "Slayed her own trusted ally, huh, is that what you have heard?" A smirk graced her lips. "Seems like your sources are far from credible, Miss. You got the wrong killer."
"Oh, so you did kill someone, then," the woman answered back as she rested her hand on her chin, her long fingernails tapping the skin playfully. "Though it was someone else besides your own fellow trainer. You can correct me if I am wrong, you know."
Minari sighed to herself at this remark. Minari did kill someone, more than one person actually, though it was out of self-defense. The people were bent on tearing her throat out. What other choice did she have? Would they expect an assassin like her to just let herself die at the hands of these cold-blooded villains?
"And now the assassin has gone quiet," the woman mused to herself, laughing lowly though it was loud enough for Minari to hear. The ninja shifted her attention to the woman besides her to find the latter watching her carefully, rather suspiciously. Minari bit her bottom lip. Obviously the woman was now perceiving her as a threat, unlike earlier when she was tending to her wounds. So they know my name yet they do not know my face, huh, Minari said to herself. Next time I oughtta disguise myself better to avoid being recognized.
"You fool," the queen said with a laugh, jolting the ninja out of the trance she was in. "Even if you disguise yourself in the clothes and hair of a man, then I will still be capable of recognizing you. Your simple tricks are merely ineffective, my darling. So try another tactic, will you? Something less... human-like." The woman flashed her a smirk which Mina could easily see through the black mask. Then the words struck the ninja like a stun gun.
Wait... Can she read myā
"It took you long enough," the woman answered suddenly, confirming her suspicions. To the others around them it might seem as if the woman was speaking to nobody. But they were likely aware of the supernatural ability that she possessed. Realizing this unconvincing revelation, Minari gritted her teeth. She crouched into a fighting position as the woman suddenly rose to her feet.
She gestured for Minari to follow her. "Come," she started as she turned in the direction of what appeared to be the entrance to the cave that Minari herself went to before she was knocked unconscious.
"Leave her to me, Trina," the woman said to the woman beside Minari. The ninja shifted in the direction of Trina who cast her a worried glance before she joined the other hooded figures sitting on the floor.
Minari did as told, following the woman and ignoring the piercing stares of the black hooded figures who were as silent as mute persons. When they reached the entrance of the cave, the woman stopped suddenly. Minari did the same and watched in terror as the mysterious woman faced her, taking off her mask slowly, suspensefully, threateningly while doing so.
Then the horror turned to wonder as the removal of the black mask revealed a pair of emerald green eyes, plump lips, and tanned skin. The woman appeared to be the same age as Tricia and had a serious expression on her face. Though her voice made her seem as if she were ten years older than she truly was.
Minari stepped back in astonishment which did not go unnoticed by the woman who merely smiled at her reaction. The trepidation was back once more. While Trina exuded calming vibes, this woman had the most chilling aura that she had ever felt.
"Who are you?" Minari suddenly asked, barely bothering to conceal the fear in her voice.
The smile was gone in the blink of an eye.
Then came the words spoken in the most somber tone she had ever heard.
"I am Necia, a lone wanderer."
"A lone wanderer?" Minari's eyebrows furrowed as these words sank in.
Necia let out a laugh that deepened the ninja's frown. What was it with these women and their manner of laughing in inappropriate situations?
All because of the task to find that stupid treasure, Minari muttered to herself. Moments later, she reprimanded herself for insulting a mission that she was entrusted with by the Wutherian Empire Royal Palace.
If there was anyone to blame for the trouble she was in at that moment, then it was Minari herself. She should have been more careful. She should have avoided underestimating her opponents. She watched as Necia approached her until their noses were nearly touching. The ninja stepped back in surprise, though Necia closed the gap once more while pushing her against the wall.
Minari felt her muscles weaken slightly as her head collided with the brick.
Though she regained her senses when she felt hands around her neck.
It took a second for her to realize that the hands belonged to Necia, who tightened her grip on her so painfully that Minari started to choke for air.
"Less talking, more moving," the woman said seductively. She let go of Minari's neck, and the ninja started gasping in a desperate attempt to catch the air that she was deprived of seconds ago. Necia smiled at this and stood back to watch her, perhaps to predict what the ninja would do next.
Minari glared at her and spoke up. "I don't know what reason you have to harm me like this. But whatever you are planning to do to me, I will not allow it to happen. Let me go and you can forget that we ever had this encounter."
Necia stared at her incredulously. Then a second later, she roared with laughter, tilting her head back as her brown locks moved to the side.
"Forget?" the woman asked, her soft voice sending a chill down Minari's spine. "One thing you should know about me, Minariā" She cast a white spell, forming a small yet ominous snowstorm in her left palmā "is that I never forget."
Necia opened her palm in the direction of the ninja, whose eyes widened at the snowstorm that had suddenly appeared and increased in size. It looked just like a beast about to pounce on any living creature in sight. She was its main target.
A smile graced Minari's lips as she dodged the first attack, doing a series of backflips in the process. She summoned a Flame Atronach who helped her in taking down the snowstorm, while the ninja herself started to counter the body with the water spells that she had recently learned in training. Thank you, Professor Yohan, Minari said to herself as she dodged yet another blow from the snowstorm, which was evaporating slowly due to the attacks from the Flame Atronach.
Necia frowned, her eyes trained on the ninja who was in a battle with the snowstorm she had produced. Minari managed to defend herself without a scratch being inflicted on her. What further irked her was that the ninja did so in such a flawless manner; it was as if her tricks were something that Minari was accustomed to dealing with.
As Minari destroyed the snowstorm, the mage stared at the humongous pile of snow that had formed on the ground before her. She shifted her attention to the ninja who was panting, though she was evidently intact. The moment their eyes met, Necia's heart was encased in a sudden chunk of rage.
This girl is going to die.
Necia conjured a dozen of atronachs, all of which surrounded her and took up the forms of dead people, the previous trespassers who were not as fortunate as Minari. Floating in mid-air, the atronachs stared into empty space and waited for their summoner to give instructions. The mage pointed to Minari, who stared at the figures with her mouth wide open.
"Destroy her now!"
The atronachs lunged for Minari who summoned five more atronachs in response. This time, each atronach held their own kind of power: air, earth, fire, ice, and water. With a sword she had managed to summon in her left hand, Minari kept her right hand empty in case she needed to cast another spell.
The battle went on for half an hour though for Minari, it felt like it had been a day. Minari was frantically gasping by the time she had finished the last atronach, a middle-aged man wearing armor encased in fur and steel. When the ninja turned to face Necia, she suddenly felt sucked of the air that she was drinking in moments ago.
The atronachs... Those bodies... They belonged to dead people... Minari said to herself, fully aware that Necia would hear her.
And only one type of sorcerer was capable of summoning atronachs in the form of dead people.
Necia stood there, watching Minari with her hands to her sides. At that moment the ninja saw an advantage; she could easily take her down in that position. Though her heart softened as the revelation that had met her moments ago finally hit her like a lightning bolt.
"Necia," Minari let out a gasp, causing the woman to wince.
Then their eyes met meaningfully, and the ninja stared at her in a newfound wonder. "A necromancer."
Necia's eyes were clouded with shock, confirming Minari's suspicions, though the next moment her expression turned as cold as the atmosphere of the cave. She saw that Minari was standing still and took this as an opportunity to strike her with a windstorm slice spell. The ninja let out a cry and staggered back as Necia watched, the sight of the blood on her enemy's torso further heightening her senses.
"You're mine, Minari!" Necia formed her hand into an open palm and pointed in Minari's direction. Suddenly, the ninja felt something pull her upward. She let out a yelp as she stood up against her own will. Grunting, she struggled to stop the necromancer from continuing with her magic. She already knew what Necia was planning to do to her. Though she would not allow it, even if it meant losing her own life.
I'd rather die than serve a madwoman!
"Bend to my will and you will be given a long life," Necia said coolly, her emerald green orbs piercing the ninja with an intensity that made the latter shiver. Minari was trembling with a mixture of anger, fear, and hope as she continued to resist the mage's control. Necia emitted a chuckle at her shaking form and made her walk closer to her until they were only several inches from each other. She did this with a mere motion of her fingers; and for the first time during their encounter, Minari felt dread and hopelessness.
"Bend to me, Minari," Necia instructed, her eyes turning icy cold as she flicked her wrist, her voice as soothing as the waters that ran through the Imerian Sea. "Give yourself to me. Now, now, darling. You don't have to resist me any longer."
Minari felt an excruciating pain shoot through her body and she let out a yell that reverberated across the entire vicinity, betraying the very emotions that she was experiencing that moment. But she stood her ground and even after a series of manipulation and torture spells that Necia cast on her, she refused to bow to the necromancer.
This went on for around ten minutes before Necia stopped. Minari was barely standing straight, the sounds of heavy, pained breathing distinguishable in the cave. She could barely keep her eyes open as the pain from what Necia was doing to her was still spreading throughout her beaten body.
Enough, Necia, please...
Necia leaned back in surprise, a small smile forming on her lips. Then her laugh echoed in Minari's ear, as the ninja struggled to stand still.
"You are a stubborn little one, huh?" Necia remarked. The ninja stared at her as she caught her breath and held her sides, as if doing so would shield her from the woman who seemed to take a great pleasure in seeing her in pain. With a grin, Necia advanced on her, which caused Minari to back away until she was pressed against the wall. Now they were in the same position as before. For the second time that night, Minari felt very powerless.
The necromancer caressed her cheek and tilted her head to the side. Minari resisted the urge to bite her hand off and stared at her vacantly. Though she was quite certain that Necia could sense how she was feeling; she could read her thoughts, after all.
"Even the most potent warrior will be unable to resist my power," Necia said with such sureness that made Minari question if she would be able to withstand her any longer. "I will be glad to wait for that day to come, when the famous Minari submits to my every command. Until then, you will be here for me to keep as my prisoner, where nobody else can find you."
Necia conjured the brick that Minari had learned to loathe within just a few hours. It was this very image, the brick that had knocked her out hours earlier, that jolted the ninja out of her stupor. The muscles in her body tensed, and the power she was drained of had suddenly been revived, the chakra running through Minari's veins like a second blood, her lifestream.
No, I am not going to give myself to the Lost Necromancer. Not this way!
Clearly the necromancer was able to read her thoughts at that moment as her face contorted into an expression of fury. Necia grabbed Minari by the shirt and was about to strike her with the brick when the ninja grabbed ahold of her arm, which suddenly lit up in flames. Necia yelped at the blazing heat; momentarily distracted, she was pushed to the ground by Minari, who cast a Conjuration spell. The mage was not surprised to see the wolf that had materialized before her. It was an animal Minari was known for conjuring to help her in battle; what made the creature so daunting was that its size was eleven times larger than those of its normal counterparts.
Minari kept her eyes trained on Necia, who immediately cast out the flames with a spell of her own and stood up quickly. Fueled by the anger brought about Minari's actions, she was met with the bared teeth of the wolf, which growled at her menacingly. Its beady little eyes pierced the necromancer's, which at that moment were laced with alarm, anger, and surprise.
Obviously the mage was expecting Minari to give herself up without a fight.
Well, in that case she does not know me very well, Minari said to herself, uncaring if the necromancer could hear what she was saying.
In Torakshi, Minari commanded the wolf to attack Necia. The creature lunged for Necia, who was quick enough to block its blows with a whirlwind she summoned with a mere flicker of her wrist. The wolf was sent flying and whimpered upon hitting the ground ten feet away from them.
Minari staggered at this in shock and turned on her heel, in the direction of the path that led her outside the vicinity. She could hear footsteps behind her though she did not look back over her shoulder. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, fully aware that Necia was hot on her heels.
A whirlwind materialized right before her as she was about to jump over a gaping hole situated near the borders of the City of the Running Boys, the Crack of the Warthog. It rose above the ground like a serpent before it started to cascade down, its mouth preparing to swallow Minari.
Minari quickly ducked out of the way as the whirlwind struck the area where she was just seconds ago though she felt a portion of the wind strike her arm, leaving a scratch. She was about to relax when she realized that the whirlwind was still moving. The body of wind made yet another attempt to strike her though this time Minari was more prepared for it. She did a somersault and landed on her feet, her knees crouched lowly, eager to dodge the next attack.
So she is manipulating this body of wind, huh? Minari mused to herself with a smile.
She looked around her to find that nobody else was in sight. That meant that Necia had stayed behind or was already back at the cave. The storm-manipulating necromancer, however, had somehow managed to conjure a whirlwind programmed to attack her.
But the ninja was quick on her feet. Minari dodged every attack that the whirlwind tried to make. Though one blow was done quite quickly and she was not agile enough to escape it.
A big portion of the body of wind sliced through Minari's leg. The ninja hissed in pain as she felt a searing and sharp sensation in her upper calf. Then before she could react the whirlwind already made its way towards her, ready for another strike.
It was during moments like those that Minari often remembered her parents, her siblings, and her trusted allies at her home. The good old memories that she had shared with them would play repeatedly. Then, a moment later Minari would focus on the present situation with a newfound vigor that would make the ninja nearly unstoppable.
As the whirlwind was only an inch away from coming into contact with her, Minari vanished from that area. She used her teleportation skill, which cost less than one second to cast, to move to a place a good fifteen feet away from the whirlwind. Though this skill that Minari possessed could only be used sparingly before she would run out of energy. She needed to use it wisely; otherwise, she would be incapable of protecting herself and then she would fall at the hands of the Lone Necromancer, who seemed so bent on destroying her. Just like the many other wild creatures and people dotting the Kelran Lands.
Minari then wondered if there was anyone in that domain that truly loved her and wanted her alive. But she barely had any time to contemplate on this as the whirlwind found her location and was already rushing towards her with a fueled anger that could have been a manifestation of how the necromancer was feeling that very moment.
Minari conjured a cluster of plants that appeared in front of her. They rose from the ground with a slithering sound that made them appear like snakes wrapped in vines. Though what made these seemingly harmless plants distinguishable from an ordinary plant was that they had the power to defend its summoner.
The whirlwind attempted to reach Minari who ducked out of the way, while the plants started hissing and spitting chunks of thick ice-cold water in the direction of the angry body.
Minari took this very moment to be the opportunity to escape. She made a run for it but not before looking over her shoulder at the action. The cluster of plants that she had summoned moments ago had managed to slice the entire body with the chunks of water that they had spat.
Now the whirlwind, dissolved into a tiny body of dust, fell to the ground with an inaudible sound.
With a smile, Minari redirected her attention to the road that lay in front of her and started running, paying little heed to her throbbing chest and leg. She was finally free from Necia, the Lone Necromancer. By that moment the ninja was already certain that the woman wasn't an ordinary mage wanderer; witnessing her powers for herself, Minari knew that she was likely the necromancer that everyone in her time could only learn of in the textbooks. To add up to her excitement, she had a new interesting story to share with her allies.
And Queen Dalliah... Minari's smile faded upon remembering the queen. She might have discovered the lost necromancer, though she failed in her mission to retrieve the artifacts.
The Queen was definitely not going to like what she would hear from her when she returned to the Royal Palace.