You find yourself in a very ornate yet definitely dark chamber. All manner of symbols related to death exist here. You could only be in the Great Lich Lord’s tower in Nuro. You never thought you’d ever be here. The last time you were anywhere near Nuro was forty years ago and things were much different.

“Welcome to Aftermath, my musical guest. As I said, I’m not much for music, but Catalina is and I’m sure she would love to hear you play. She…” The Great Lich Lord pauses again. “She hasn’t been feeling well lately and I think this would help out. Just take seat in that chair over there. Here’s your mandolin.”

This almost surreal. You didn’t expect your last moments on this world to be like this. Lacking any other ideas you slowly go over to sit on the chair, while the Great Lich Lord goes to get his mistress Catalina. They better hurry up because you feel like you’ve done more than knocking on death’s door; you’re quite literally in his home. The proximity of being so close to the Great Lich Lord is speeding up your death.

The Great Lich Lord soon arrives with Catalina and you look upon her. She’s very beautiful. You had heard stories about her before decades ago when you were still serving in the army. She looks young, though she has to be much older. However, you can tell she’s not exactly moving very fast and taking her time. It’s apparent that despite her skill in necromancy that she’s suffering from the effects of the Great Lich Lord’s death aura. She must be powerful indeed to be able to withstand his proximity everyday. She must also love him very much to do it.

You briefly think of how someone could ever love such a being, or how such a being is even capable of love. But given how you see them interact, there it is.

This also starts to make you angry. Why are they allowed such a thing? They’re the bad guys here. You never did anything wrong and you lost everyone you ever loved or cared about. You begin to tear up, but it’s in frustration rather than sadness. All the past pain and suffering that you’ve ever experienced has come back to hurt you one last time.

“Okay, start playing.” The Great Lich Lord says.
“No.” you remark.
“What?”
“You heard me. No.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to defy me.”
“Oh I think I’m in every position. What the hell are you going to do to me? I’m fuckin’ dead already! You’ve already taken everything away from me! My friends and acquaintances died because of you! I lost my home because of you! My family and loved ones died because of you! I had to kill my own mother because she became one of your undead minions! My siblings, all fuckin’ dead! All I have left is my music! And now you want me to give that away to you too? NO! I’ll DIE with it!”

After this outburst the Great Lich Lord replies in kind.

“Insolent mortal! Do you forget who I am? You think dying will save you? Think again! I will kill you and raise you as a fucking zombie and MAKE you play for us in a pink dress if it so amuses me! Now play and perhaps that won’t be your fate!”

The Great Lich Lord’s voice now sounds more menacing. More like what you thought, but you don’t care, you’ve got nothing to lose at this juncture. It is at this point Catalina steps in.

“I don’t think that will be necessary dear. You just let me handle this. You go in the next room and cool off or something.”

The Great Lich Lord agrees to this and hugs Catalina, before walking off. Catalina now walks towards you.

“You’ll have to forgive my beloved’s outburst. He goes a little over the top when it comes to me. Especially now. So much has happened. He’s changed so much and continues to change even now. He doesn’t express it, but I think it’s always gotten to him.”
“I don’t have to forgive shit. Am I supposed to feel sympathy? He’s caused all this…and you too! How can you stand by him? You’re still alive! You could probably kill him and stop this before the entire world is dead!”
“Oh I doubt if I could, even if I so desired, which I don’t. My feelings for him and the reasons…well the heart wants, what the heart wants. I sometimes worry about what he will do after I’m gone though. He’s in great denial. He knows I cannot fight off his overwhelming aura forever. I suppose in some ways, bringing you here to play for me was some vain hope of making me feel better. And it will, in its own way…”

You still can’t believe that she’s trying to make them out to be the victims.

“Look I don’t care about what the hell you two death freaks want, I know what the hell I’ve gone through and it’s all your fault. Fuck the both of you. You haven’t had to deal with the pain I’ve gone through.”
“Perhaps not. But do you think you are the only one on this world who’s suffered? What makes your life and those close to you so special? Nothing. You and everyone else whoever lived on this dying world are equal. You, your family, even me. The only person who isn’t equal, is in the next room. We’ve all lost those close to us at some point. Yes, even my beloved and he’ll lose another when I’m gone. We’ll all be long dead and he’ll probably still be on this world by himself with nothing to do. And that, I’m convinced will be the greatest suffering of all. Life without end? No thank you. When my time comes, I will embrace it.”

You’re very surprised to hear a necromancer say that.

“My beloved cannot help what he is. For whatever reason, he was gifted with the art of death. He’s become it. It’s his nature. You can’t be angry with a force of nature. It has to simply be.”

You want to argue, you want to fight, you want to bring up every moral debate you can think of, but to be quite honest you can’t. Part of it is it wouldn’t make any difference. Part of it is you’re tired of fighting, you can’t do it anymore and you don’t have strength at this point. The other part is that in a way what she’s said makes some sense and is correct.

It also makes you think about your “nature”. It was to play music. You never got to live the life you wanted, but during your lifetime, music always seeped in somehow. It always found a way.

Catalina continues to speak.

“Now you certainly don’t have to play. That’s your choice. I will make sure that my beloved does not turn you into dress wearing zombie though. It would be a shame though. You are not completely unfamiliar to me. I do have some knowledge of who you are and I have heard stories of your playing. I would like to hear it played while you still had the passion and energy behind it. The living spark that can only invoke such things.”
“…I’ll play…” you say with a heavy breath that took some effort for you.
“You will?”
“Yes…what did you want to hear?”

Catalina smiles.

“I don’t know, whatever you like I suppose. Just as long as it has a nice soothing melody.”
“Okay then.”
“Hold on, I must get my beloved before you start. I must ask though, what changed your mind to play?”
“Nothing. It’s my nature.”

Catalina soon returns with the Great Lich Lord and they both sit in their respective thrones. Catalina tells you to play, which you do so.

You watch the pair of them look at each other as you play. You would appear that Catalina is pleased with her “gift”. You don’t know about the Great Lich Lord, since you can’t see his face, but you assume that if she’s happy, then he’s happy.

You see them hold hands and look at each other as you enter the second verse of the song. At this point you begin to close your eyes and just let the music and instinct guide your fingers. You can feel your life slip away, but it doesn’t matter. You’ve been taken to a different place. A better place.

You smile and wave to your family. You can see them all so clearly. All of them are there. You’re getting closer. They’re ready to accept you with open arms.

Last verse. Not much energy left, but you’re nearly there. You won’t have to worry about anything anymore. Heart slowing down. You’re with them now. Everything will be so good again. Your music has saved you one last time.

One last note.
One last breath.
You’re home.



“Well, he certainly looked happier than he did earlier.”
“Yes, yes he did. Set his body on fire dear.”
“You don’t want him around to play for you later?”
“No, I don’t think that performance could ever be replicated.”