The next morning Ola woke up with the sun already high in the sky. She used to be a morning person, but all those weird experiments with Ben were happening at night, so she was getting more and more used to staying up late and getting up even later. She stretched under the blanket and yawned, considering if she should even get up. What was the point? They can do their experiments without her. Why would they need a battle-mage if Ben can just snap his fingers and make everything disappear. She could just stay in bed, maybe the whole day… Would they even notice? They don’t need her. No one needs her. She rolled herself into a cub and held herself just for a minute. Then she slapped her face and threw down the blanket. No. This doesn’t go anywhere. She knew it. She knew where these thoughts could take her and she wasn’t going there ever again.
She got up from the bed and started putting the clothes on. The pants, under-shirt, blouse, shoes and then her robe. She signed and shook herself one more time. She was strong, she could do anything, she can actually help this time. It was just a bad moment, nothing to worry about, never, never ever again.
She walked back to her bed table and picked up the insignia carefully placed there last night. It was the only and the most precious piece of jewelry she had. A silver shield with a wand and sword crossed on top. She remembered clearly the day her sister gave it to her. Ola was invited to her graduation, to see the moment her sister became the royal knight. She was so proud then, shining in her white, golden decorated robe—the strongest and the most beautiful person Ola knew.
Finally she put the insignia on her blouse, checking multiple times it’s secured and left the room. Another bright day full of skeletons, undead and sheer optimism, she let herself sign for the last time.
She could hear those two arguing about something, when she descended the stairs. That was rare. Ben’s unrivaled optimism usually just swept Seth to do whatever Ben wanted.
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“It’s dangerous, what if they just attack…” Seth’s frustrated voice.
“Don’t worry about it,” Ben’s voice was cheerful and full of undisturbed happiness as usual. “...we will run away if it is too bad. Ah! Ola!” Ben turned to her as soon as he spotted her. “Come, come! Look at this.” Ben grabbed her hand and led her to the board listing requests for adventurers.
“Here, see!” Ben pointed at one of the posters. Ola realized she was still holding his hand and let go. No time for weakness, Ben was so careless sometimes. She looked at the poster and frowned.
GHOST INVASION
Please help. Village has been invaded by ghosts.
We can’t sleep, ghosts everywhere.
Below was the name of the village and directions. “I guess, we can help them.” Ola shrugged. “I thought you were trying your experiments, though.” She looked at Ben.
“We can do that later.” Ben grinned at her. There was something different about the way he looked at her. Like he was looking deeper into her eyes… She shuddered. That wasn’t fair, she liked Ben.
“The problem is,” Seth interrupted. “Ben isn’t going there to kill the ghosts. He is going there to guide them.”
“What?” Ola looked between them.
“Yes!” Ben clapped. “That’s what necromancers always did in the stories. They help guide the dead. The ghosts probably just got stuck at the place and need as much help as the villagers.”
Ola’s stunned silence was an answer enough.
Seth just shrugged, “told you. He is crazy.”
After a lot more arguing from Ben, Seth and Ola finally agreed. Ben had to promise, he will do his best not to scare the villagers. But in the end, they left the tavern and headed towards the village deeper in the mountains. As they were leaving, Seth found Ben while he was alone and asked what hanged on his mind since Ben suggested this insane expedition. “This is for Ola isn’t it?”
Ben just laughed. “Of course not, Seth! It’s my job as a necromancer to help those people and ghosts.” And with more laughing he walked out ahead of them.
